Tim Walz Compares Minneapolis ICE Shootings to Holocaust and Anne Frank, Says Kids Are 'Hiding' at Home

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has escalated his war of words with the Trump administration, comparing the current climate of federal immigration enforcement in his state to the Holocaust.

Speaking at an emergency press briefing following the 24 January 2026 killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Centre, Walz described the state under 'federal occupation' and said the children in affected neighbourhoods are now 'hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside', drawing a direct parallel to the life of Anne Frank.

'We have children in Minnesota hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside,' Walz stated, framing the aggressive sweeps by 3,000 federal agents as a 'campaign of organised brutality' that mirrors the psychological terror of 1930s Germany.

Federal officials have defended the operation and the shooting, while state authorities have moved to secure evidence, deepening a standoff between Minnesota leaders and the Trump administration.

Governor Walz: Children Fear Going Outside, Like Holocaust

Walz, a former high school social studies teacher and Belfer Fellow at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, emphasised the emotional impact of federal enforcement on local residents, especially minors, according to FOX News. He stated that the aggressive immigration operations have left children feeling unsafe, comparing their experiences to hiding as Anne Frank did during the Nazi occupation.

The Governor said ICE operations are traumatising families and instilling fear among minors who now limit their outdoor activities.

The shooting of Pretti occurred on 24 January, when he was fatally shot by federal agents during a confrontation. Federal authorities maintain that Pretti was armed and posed a threat, citing the presence of extra magazines. Local accounts, however, claim that Pretti was disarmed prior to the shooting.

Walz described the victim as a lawful firearms owner, modest in demeanour, and widely respected in his community, including for his work with veterans. He accused federal officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, of unfairly portraying Pretti as a 'crazed domestic terrorist'.

Similarities Between the Holocaust & Anne Frank and ICE Operations

The similarities between Minneapolis ICE operations and Anne Frank's experience during the Holocaust were jarring. In both cases, children and families felt they had to stay inside to stay safe. Going outside became stressful because they worried about encountering armed authorities who could detain them.

In both situations, people lived with constant fear after seeing or hearing what happened to others around them. Families had to adjust their daily lives to avoid danger, whether it was curfews, raids, or surveillance. The comparison isn't about scale or intent but about how fear changes behaviour and limits freedom.

The threat of authority shaped the victims of the Holocaust and ICE's targets' actions, forcing them to live in a state of constant alert, even if the circumstances were 80 years apart.

Governor Walz Criticises Federal Leadership

Walz also openly criticised US President Donald Trump and senior federal officials, accusing them of smearing Pretti's reputation and attempting to conceal evidence.

'This family has gone through enough', Walz said, explaining that he believes federal narratives were misleading and disregarded the deceased's character. He argued that federal authorities blocked state investigators from accessing the scene and sought to alter or destroy evidence related to the incident, describing the actions as a violation of both legal and ethical standards.

A Federal Restraining Order on Evidence

In a significant legal blow to the administration, US District Judge Eric C. Tostrud, a Trump appointee, issued a temporary restraining order late Saturday. The order prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Attorney General Pam Bondi from 'destroying or altering' any evidence related to the Pretti shooting.

The lawsuit, filed jointly by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), alleges that federal agents physically blocked state investigators from the crime scene, even after they presented a signed judicial warrant. 'Federal agents are not above the law, and Alex Pretti is certainly not beneath it,' said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Walz warned that the conservatives' narrative about Pretti's death could have lasting consequences socially. He stressed that misleading statements from high-ranking officials contribute to public confusion and distress. 'I don't care if you are conservative and you are flying a Donald Trump flag... If we cannot all agree that the smearing of an American citizen is wrong, I don't know what else to tell you', Walz said.

However, Trump and other White House officials defended federal actions, reiterating that Pretti resisted arrest and posed a threat. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the agent fired in self-defence, saying that the federal position was that Pretti's conduct warranted lethal force.

Walz's comments underscore how immigration enforcement has become as much a psychological and political flashpoint as a legal one. Whether viewed as a warning or an overreach, his Holocaust comparison has intensified scrutiny of ICE operations and the language used to justify them — particularly when children and families are at the centre of the fallout.