New York, January 27, 2026 – In a powerful and tearful opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel became visibly emotional as he addressed the recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, particularly the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
The segment, aired on January 26, 2026, focused on what Kimmel described as a series of “vile, heartless, and even criminal acts” by federal agents during an aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown in the city. Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was shot multiple times—reports indicate up to 10 shots—by agents after being pinned to the ground, following an incident captured on widely circulated videos. Witnesses and footage suggest he was unarmed at the time and may have been attempting to intervene or document the situation. The tragedy followed closely after the fatal shooting of Renée Good, a mother of three, by an ICE agent earlier in January.
Kimmel, his voice cracking and eyes welling up, paused several times to compose himself. “I spent the weekend like probably a lot of you did—looking at my phone—and just feeling shocked and sick about what is happening in Minneapolis,” he said. He condemned the agents as a “gang of poorly-trained, shamefully-led, mask-wearing goons” committing “one atrocity after another,” including family separations and violent encounters documented in videos.
Highlighting the contrast between the administration’s claims of justified self-defense and the available footage, Kimmel urged viewers to “do your own research” and watch the videos themselves. He questioned supporters of “law and order,” asking, “Is that the law and order that you voted for, if you voted for this? Every day is a nightmare now.”
The host grew particularly choked up when addressing the families of Pretti and Good, as well as residents of Minneapolis—including his own family members living there—who he said are now living in fear. “We want you to know that we are with you and you are not alone,” he said, his voice breaking.
To underscore Pretti’s character, Kimmel shared a heartfelt clip of the nurse honoring a veteran patient at work in 2024, showcasing his compassion and dedication.
The monologue quickly went viral, amassing millions of views on YouTube (the official clip titled “Jimmy Kimmel on the Vile and Heartless Murder of Nurse Alex Pretti by ICE in Minneapolis” is available on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! channel). Public reactions have been deeply divided: many praised Kimmel’s empathy, courage, and call for accountability, while critics accused him of selective outrage, exaggeration, or “crocodile tears.”
Other late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, echoed similar outrage in their own segments, amplifying the national conversation around ICE’s tactics, federal overreach, and the human cost of immigration enforcement policies under the current administration.
The incidents have sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis and renewed scrutiny of federal agent conduct, with ongoing investigations and demands for transparency. The full monologue remains one of the most discussed segments of the week, highlighting the raw emotions surrounding these events.
