MINNEAPOLIS – Sitting in front of a microphone deep inside Target Center on Monday night, Quinten Post chose his words carefully after the Warriors’ 108-83 loss. 

Post was not offering up his thoughts on scoring against Rudy Gobert or the team’s 19 turnovers. 

No, for the past four days, he and the team had taken up residence in Minneapolis, the epicenter of America’s war on immigration. 

Post and his teammates had watched tens of thousands of protesters march down the street in sub-zero temperatures in front of their downtown Minneapolis team hotel shortly after Golden State arrived on Friday afternoon. 

He was stuck in the hotel on Saturday when news broke that the game was postponed after federal immigration agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, and played in Sunday’s contest that was coated in a thick pall. 

As a Dutch citizen, he did not want to pretend to be an expert on American legal policy. 

But as a person, his feelings were clear after what he called “a crazy” few days in Minnesota. 

“I’m not educated enough on the subject to say something truly smart about it, but some of the things that I see, from a human standpoint, are unacceptable,” Post said. “It looks like a witch hunt out there.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke at length the day before about the prolonged occupation of Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling for less division and expressing support for the city during what he dubbed a “surreal” series of events. 

When given a chance to expand on his initial thoughts, Kerr did just that after Monday’s game. Like many Americans, he had read about 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos being detained by immigration personnel while at school. 

“It’s not like we’re rooting out violent criminals,” Kerr said. “They’re taking 5-year-old kindergartners and US citizens and detaining people. Immigration is a problem that needs to be addressed, but it needs to be addressed by Congress, legislatively, not by a military force in the streets pulling people from their homes.” 

Pretti’s death had rocked the Minneapolis community, and what multiple players and coaches described as the city’s “weight” hung over Sunday’s game. 

Multiple anti-ICE chants and iconography were encountered throughout the game, by both fans and at least two members of the in-venue entertainment team.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Organizers say the purpose of this weekend’s memorial ride is to mourn the death of Alex Pretti at the hands of U.S. Border Patrol agents and to celebrate his life.

‘An advocate for getting people to ride bicycles’

What we know:

Alex Pretti was an avid outdoorsman who loved mountain biking and was a customer at Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop in South Minneapolis.

Now the community Pretti rolled with in group rides around the Twin Cities is ready to roll for him.

“Alex is a cyclist, and if you’re a cyclist, you’re part of this community,” said Jerrod Alder, “director of stoke” at Angry Catfish.

‘In this together’

The backstory:

Angry Catfish is helping organize a 10-mile bike ride in Pretti’s honor this Saturday with stops at Pretti’s memorial at 26th and Lyndale and Renee Good’s memorial at 34th and Portland avenue, before ending with a moment of silence at the Minneapolis VA hospital where Pretti worked as an ICU nurse.

“I think someone that is that cheerful and loving and has touched so many people needs to be honored,” said Alder.

Organizers say the cycling community has many spokes, and similar memorial rides are being planned in more than a half dozen other cities around the country, including New York, Boston and Atlanta, with more possibly on the way, both to mourn Pretti and to show solidarity with his mission of getting ICE out of Minnesota.

“Folks have asked how many people do you anticipate showing up? And I think it’s between 50 and 1,000 people. Minnesota shows up no matter the weather,” said Alder.

‘A respectful human being’

What they’re saying:

Organizers say there’s no better way to mourn the loss of someone who was so caring than to do something he loved.

“Bicycles are magic. We think it’s important in this moment to share that magic with the world,” said Alder.

Dig deeper:

Organizers say the memorial ride for Alex Pretti will meet at Washburn Fair Oaks Park, across the street from the Minneapolis Institute Of Arts, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The ride will begin at 1:30 p.m.

A federal court in Minneapolis is hearing arguments on Monday on whether the Trump administration’s deployment of 3,000 immigration agents to Minnesota has crossed the line from law enforcement into unconstitutional occupation.

The extraordinary legal question centers on the 10th amendment, which reserves to the states all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government in the constitution. Lawyers for Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St Paul claim in their suit that Operation Metro Surge has become so intrusive and dangerous that it amounts to an illegal occupation of the state.

They are asking Kate Menendez, a Biden-appointed US district judge, to immediately halt the operation, which they say has terrified residents, put public safety at risk and made it nearly impossible for local officials to do their jobs, from policing neighborhoods to keeping schools running normally.

The case, which was filed after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, has taken on new urgency following Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse and US citizen who was killed by federal agents while apparently filming an immigration operation. Videos verified by the Guardian contradict portions of the department of homeland security’s account of the incident.

Pretti’s death marks the third shooting involving federal agents this month.

Monday’s hearing began with state lawyer Lindsey Middlecamp demanding an immediate end to what she called an “unlawful and unchecked invasion” by federal agents, according to reporters in the court room. She cited the Pretti killing and described Operation Metro Surge as violent by design, relying on shows of force and aggressive racial profiling. She also alleged retaliation against critics, saying businesses who spoke out have faced audits and some protesters have had their global entry status revoked.

Much of the hearing, according to reporters, has focused on a letter from attorney general Pam Bondi, which the state characterizes as an extortion attempt that violates the 10th amendment. Minnesota’s lawyers argue the Trump administration is using Operation Metro Surge to force policy changes rather than letting courts resolve disputes. “They are not letting the courts work this stuff out,” the state said. “What they’re trying to get in court … they’re trying to get that same thing by putting 3,000 heavily armed agents on the streets of Minnesota.”

The Bondi letter explicitly linked ending the surge to three demands: access to voter registration records, welfare program data, and the repeal of sanctuary policies, none of which the state argues have anything to do with immigration enforcement. Bondi’s first demand to halt the operation asked the state to hand over Snap data, which Minnesota’s lawyers say makes clear the federal government is using the presence of armed agents to coerce compliance on unrelated matters.

Menendez expressed difficulty drawing the line between legitimate federal pressure and illegal coercion. “What helps me decide when this very rarely used doctrine gives me the power to kick ICE out of the state?” she said.

The state’s lawsuit argues the surge is motivated by a “desire to punish political opponents and score partisan points” rather than legitimate enforcement needs. It does not seek an end to all immigration enforcement in Minnesota, but asks for a return to pre-surge staffing levels and restrictions on how remaining agents operate.

Trump administration lawyers have dismissed the claims as lacking “a shred of legal support”. They describe the operation as lawful enforcement of immigration laws that has resulted in arrests of people convicted of serious crimes. “President Trump campaigned and won election on a promise to enforce immigration laws enacted by Congress,” government lawyers wrote. “For the last year, DHS has delivered on that promise.”

Legally speaking, it’s largely uncharted territory. Menendez has noted there is limited precedent for a state challenging federal law enforcement on 10th amendment grounds, though Illinois has filed a similar lawsuit seeking to block immigration enforcement without express congressional authorization.

In a letter filed hours after Saturday’s shooting, state and city lawyers wrote that “the situation is grave” and urged the judge to act.

“This cannot continue. We need the court to act to stop this surge before yet another resident dies because of Operation Metro Surge.”