On the January 29, 2026 edition of Fox News’ “The Five,” host Greg Gutfeld delivered a highly charged critique of media coverage defending protesters involved in clashes with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Gutfeld’s segment focused on what he described as a “double standard” in reporting, juxtaposing coverage of anti‑ICE demonstrations with the deaths of Americans allegedly killed by undocumented immigrants, including Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

Gutfeld named both Good and Pretti explicitly, arguing that discussions about protests and federal law enforcement tactics have overshadowed the victims whose lives were lost under different circumstances. Renée Good, a 37‑year‑old Minneapolis resident, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in early January during a federal immigration enforcement operation, a killing that sparked local and national outrage. Just weeks later, Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37‑year‑old ICU nurse, during another tense immigration enforcement confrontation. These incidents marked at least two fatal shootings by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis in January 2026 and have amplified divisions over enforcement policy and rhetoric. 

Gutfeld argued that both “criminals” — referring to undocumented immigrants who commit violent crimes — and those who “interfere with their capture” should face prosecution. He contended that defending protesters who obstruct law enforcement efforts was unpatriotic and detracted from accountability for violent offenders. His comments reflect a broader conservative critique of what some on the right view as media and political sympathies toward anti‑ICE protesters, particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions resisting federal operations.

The backdrop to Gutfeld’s remarks is a heightened federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge. Under this campaign, the Department of Homeland Security deployed thousands of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE officers into the Twin Cities to pursue individuals unlawfully present in the United States. The effort has drawn intense scrutiny after the shoot‑linked deaths of two U.S. citizens and confrontations with demonstrators. In response to public backlash, ICE has issued internal guidance directing officers to avoid engaging with “agitators” and focus on individuals with criminal records, a shift intended to reduce tensions on the ground. 

Supporters of aggressive immigration enforcement, including Gutfeld and others on the right, argue that upholding law and order and rebuilding respect for federal authority is essential to national security and community safety. Critics, by contrast, contend that the deaths of Good, Pretti and others during enforcement actions highlight systemic problems in how federal policing interacts with civilian communities, calling for independent investigations, reforms, and better de‑escalation protocols.

As the debate over immigration policy and enforcement continues to unfold, the political and media divide over how incidents like those in Minneapolis are framed remains a central point of contention in national discourse.