Americanswers… On 5 Live! Another US citizen shot dead by ICE. What happens next?

Jan 26, 2026

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INSIGHT

Officials' Rapid Narrative Clash With Video

DHS officials, including Kristi Noem, initially framed the incident as an armed attack to justify the agents' actions.
That public rush to judgment contrasted sharply with what the videos appear to show and escalated political backlash.

INSIGHT

Trump Pulls Back From Aggressive Messaging

Donald Trump signalled more caution than some aides, pausing to review events and sending Tom Holman to Minnesota.
That suggests the White House sensed political risk and sought to de-escalate aggressive rhetoric.

INSIGHT

Political Base Fractures Over Tactics

The shootings have split typical political coalitions, making some conservatives uneasy about ICE tactics.
Gun-rights supporters also felt threatened when the administration implied carrying firearms to protests invited deadly outcomes.

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After a second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs federal agents, pressure is growing on the Trump administration to hold a full inquiry into what happened. On Saturday, 37 year old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot during an altercation with federal immigration agents. In this episode, the Americast team unpack widely circulated video footage which directly contradicts the Trump administration’s version of events. How big a moment is this for Donald Trump’s second term, and how will it impact on the president’s promise to enact the widest deportation programme in American history?

Also in this episode, we answer your questions - along with 5 Live’s Matt Chorley - on Trump’s apology to UK service personnel who were part of NATO’s Afghanistan deployment, the president’s health and why he’s fallen out again with the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over China.

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations correspondent • Matt Chorley, 5 Live presenter

GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #Americast

This episode was made by Rufus Gray, Grace Reeve and Kris Jalowiecki The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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