Breaking — ICE Retreats to Biden Policy After Killing Two Americans

They violated 96 court orders. They executed two citizens. Now they're adopting the "weak" policy they dismantled—while Trump still threatens the mayor.

While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction
this is the news that matters and how it’s connected.

Two Americans dead. Ninety-six court orders violated. And now the administration that called Biden’s immigration enforcement “weak” is quietly adopting it.

Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, announced Thursday that ICE would shift to “targeted, strategic enforcement operations” in Minneapolis—no more random street sweeps demanding papers.¹ He plans to reduce the 3,000-agent occupation force.¹ Internal guidance now requires officers to only target immigrants with criminal histories: “ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS.”²

That’s Joe Biden’s policy—the one Trump rescinded on day one.

But don’t call it a retreat. Homan made that clear: “We are not surrendering... we’re just doing it smarter.”³

The Body Count

Here’s what forced this retreat: bodies.

Renee Good, 37, mother of three, shot dead behind the wheel of her car on January 7.¹ Alex Pretti, 37, ICU nurse, shot in the back while being restrained on January 25—his legally carried gun already removed by agents seconds before they killed him.¹ Pretti had a permit. He was exercising his constitutional rights. The Second Amendment party executed him anyway. In both cases, the administration immediately labeled the victims “domestic terrorists.”¹

The video tells a different story. The administration lied about Pretti—he held only a phone.¹ The administration lied about Good—she wasn’t ramming anyone.¹

Now Homan says he wants to “de-escalate.” But here’s who he blames for the bloodshed:

“I said in March that if the rhetoric didn’t stop, there was going to be bloodshed, and there has been. I wish I wasn’t right.”³

Read that again. Two Americans are dead—killed by federal agents, on video—and Homan blames the rhetoric. Not the orders. Not the officers. The protesters.

The 96 Violations

While Homan talked cooperation, a federal judge delivered a different verdict.

U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found that ICE has violated at least 96 federal court orders in 74 cases—just this month.¹ His ruling should end any debate about who’s “enforcing the law”:

“This list should give pause to anyone—no matter his or her political beliefs—who cares about the rule of law. ICE has likely violated more court orders in January [2026] than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.”¹

Let that sink in. The “law and order” administration violated more court orders this month than some agencies have in their entire history. That’s not enforcement. That’s lawlessness wearing a badge.

The contempt hearing for acting ICE chief Todd Lyons was canceled only after ICE finally released an Ecuadorean man they’d detained illegally.¹ They comply when a judge is about to hold them in contempt. Not before.

The Rebranding

They retreated on policy. Not on threats.

The same day Homan announced “de-escalation,” Trump took to Truth Social to threaten Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey: he was “playing with fire” by refusing to help enforce federal immigration laws.¹ Attorney General Pam Bondi announced 16 arrests for “impeding” federal agents. Her message: “Nothing will stop us.”¹

De-escalation doesn’t come with threats. Cooperation doesn’t come with arrests for watching.

The internal memo tells officers: “DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS. It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation.”² So now exercising your First Amendment rights makes you an “agitator” federal agents must ignore—but might still arrest. First Amendment? Optional.

Asked about protest organizers? “Justice is coming.”³ Asked about non-criminals? “You’re never off the table.”³

What This Actually Is

Gregory Bovino—the Border Patrol commander who led the aggressive sweeps—was thrown under the bus. Demoted, soon to retire.² Border Patrol moves to a “support role.” ICE takes over.¹ ² Papers, please? Officially over.²

Make no mistake: this is a win. But it’s our win, not theirs.

The administration killed two American citizens on video. Violated nearly a hundred court orders. Ignited national fury. Faced bipartisan criticism. And now—only now—they’ve been forced back to the targeting criteria Biden used.

The criteria Trump called “open borders.” The criteria that focused on serious criminals. The criteria that didn’t get Americans executed in the street. Resistance made them adopt it.

Remember what it cost. Remember who paid. And remember: they didn’t learn anything. They got caught. They’ll do it again the moment the cameras move on. The question is whether we will.

---

The Call

This isn’t an isolated incident. We track stories like this using the fascism syndrome—ten indicators that a democracy is sliding into fascism—so you don’t lose the thread in the daily chaos:

• Erosion of due process: 96 court order violations in one month. Compliance only when contempt hearings loom.

• Normalization of political violence: Two citizens executed. Administration immediately called them terrorists. Video proves otherwise.

• War on reality: “De-escalation” announced alongside threats to the mayor. “Cooperation” paired with arrests for watching.

• Weaponized justice: Citizens exercising First Amendment rights labeled “agitators.” Sixteen arrested for “impeding” agents.

Kill citizens. Violate court orders. Threaten officials. Call it de-escalation. That’s not law enforcement. That’s fascism with better PR.

But we’re not here just to tell you the house is on fire.

We built this publication to equip you with the tools to fight back—the frameworks, the messaging, the strategies that actually work. See the links below. But we can only keep doing this with your help. If this matters to you, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. You keep the fight alive.

• Fighting Fascism: How We Push Back and Win — The strategic playbook for reclaiming power

• The Trump Regime Messaging Guide — How to talk to people who’ve been captured by the machine

• The Freedom Illusion — How we got here, and the counter-ideology that gets us out

1. Brad Brooks, “Trump border czar Homan says ICE in Minneapolis will focus on ‘targeted’ operations, not sweeps“, Reuters, January 29, 2026.

Comprehensive coverage of Homan’s press conference announcing the shift to “targeted, strategic enforcement operations” and plans to reduce the 3,000-agent force. Documents Judge Schiltz’s ruling citing 96 federal court order violations, Trump’s Truth Social threat to Mayor Frey, AG Bondi’s 16 arrests and “nothing will stop us” statement, and the timeline of the Renee Good and Alex Pretti killings. Confirms video evidence contradicts administration claims that victims were “domestic terrorists,” noting Pretti held only a phone and his gun was removed before he was shot in the back.

2. Kristina Cooke and Ted Hesson, “Exclusive: ICE officers in Minnesota directed not to interact with ‘agitators’ in new orders“, Reuters, January 29, 2026.

Exclusive reporting on internal ICE memo from Marcos Charles directing officers to avoid engaging with “agitators” and to target only immigrants with criminal histories (”ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS”). Documents the operational shift from Border Patrol-led sweeps to ICE-led targeted enforcement, Bovino’s demotion, and the contrast with Trump’s earlier rescission of Biden-era policies that required focus on serious criminals. Notes guidance does not specify what triggers commands or what happens when commands aren’t followed.

3. Kare 11, “What’s next for the federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota? U.S. border czar Tom Homan“, Kare 11 (YouTube), January 29, 2026.

Full video of Homan’s press conference. Key quotes include his claim that “if the rhetoric didn’t stop, there was going to be bloodshed, and there has been”—blaming protesters for deaths caused by federal agents. When asked about organizers coordinating protests, Homan said “Justice is coming.” When asked if non-criminals would be left alone, he stated “If you’re in the country illegally... you’re never off the table.” Also declared “We are not surrendering... we’re just doing it smarter,” confirming the shift is tactical rebranding, not policy change.