‘He will lose his finger,’ DHS Assistant Secretary's chilling remarks after protestor in Minneapolis attacked HSI agent

A man was arrested in Minneapolis for allegedly biting off a Homeland Security officer's finger during anti-ICE protests.

Updated on: Jan 25, 2026, 20:51:38 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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A person was arrested in Minneapolis on Saturday for allegedly “biting off the finger” of a Homeland Security Investigations officer, informed Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post.

Federal agents detain a protester along a commercial street during clashes following the fatal shooting of a demonstrator earlier in the day, on January 24, 2026 in Minneapolis,. (Photo by Kerem YUCEL / AFP) (AFP)

“I have directed my federal prosecutors to file charges for this HEINOUS assault on our brave law enforcement officer,” Bondi wrote on X.

Earlier, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, stated that the protester severed the officer's finger after the shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse from Illinois.

Federal immigration agents fatally shot a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, according to officials -- marking the second deadly shooting of a civilian in the city, which has ignited new protests and anger from state officials. This incident occurred less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an officer from ICE during operations aimed at apprehending undocumented migrants.

Also Read: Minneapolis shooting: ICE agent says ‘Boo hoo’ to angry protesters after killing of ‘armed man’

DHS Assistant Secretary says ‘He will lose his finger’

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also posted graphic images on X, depicting what seems to be the fingertip and the bloody injury.

“In Minneapolis, these rioters attacked our law enforcement officer and one of them bit off our HSI officer’s finger. He will lose his finger,” McLaughlin wrote along with the pictures of two anti-ICE protestors. US President Donald Trump reposted her post.

It remains unclear which person in the pictures is the alleged anti-ICE attacker. Moreover, officials have not provided any additional evidence regarding the incident apart from the images shared in McLaughlin's post. The name of the accused has not been disclosed.

Protests in Minneapolis

Protests against ICE have been occurring since the Department of Homeland Security intensified immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by deploying over 2,000 federal officers.

These protests intensified following the deadly shooting of Renee Good by the ICE officer identified as Jonathon Ross.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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