Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman announced on January 27, 2026 that he will run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Florida. (apnews.com) Vindman, who gained national attention after testifying in 2019 that President Donald Trump pressured Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden, said he would challenge Republican appointee Senator Ashley Moody in the special election to complete Marco Rubio’s term. (nbcmiami.com) Vindman, removed from the National Security Council and retired from the Army, framed his campaign around defending democracy and opposing Trump-era policies. The race is seen as high-stakes in a swing state that has trended Republican. (theguardian.com)
Gregory Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol “commander at large,” The Atlantic reported; he will return to his former El Centro, California post and is expected to retire. (yahoo.com) The change follows outrage after the killing of Alex Pretti and President Trump’s move to send White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, with officials saying Bovino and some agents would leave the state. (spokesman.com) The Department of Homeland Security disputed reports that he’d been relieved of duties, calling him “a key part of the President’s team.” (theguardian.com) Reports also say his access to social accounts was suspended. (time.com)
New video released of a January 2026 Minneapolis immigration enforcement encounter shows ICE agent Jonathan Ross approaching driver Renée Good’s vehicle, shouting “Get out of the f***ing car,” smashing or pulling at the door and attempting to stop the SUV as it rolled briefly backward. Ross then fired, fatally wounding Good, sparking protests and fierce debate over whether the shooting was self‑defense. The Department of Homeland Security and Vice President JD Vance defended the agent, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and policing experts criticized the tactics and questioned body‑cam use. Investigations and calls for public recordings are ongoing, drawing nationwide scrutiny. (washingtonpost.com)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will have a security role at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, U.S. Embassy in Rome sources confirmed. (newspressnow.com) Officials said agents will support diplomatic security details and will not carry out immigration-enforcement operations. (newspressnow.com) The announcement, first reported by Italian outlets, prompted fury: Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said ICE is “not welcome” and called it “a militia that kills.” (wral.com) Italian authorities issued mixed statements. The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance and including second lady Usha Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will attend Feb. 6–22. (whsv.com) It follows RAI footage of ICE incidents. (news4jax.com)
On January 24, 2026, 37‑year‑old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, a confrontation captured on bystander video.(en.wikipedia.org) A week earlier he reportedly suffered a broken rib after federal agents tackled him during an anti‑ICE protest, sources say.(yahoo.com) Video and witness accounts show agents wrestling Pretti to the ground, one removing a gun from his waistband, then multiple agents firing; DHS says he approached with a handgun.(en.wikipedia.org) His family and colleagues dispute federal claims and investigators are probing the killing, and public protests have continued across the city.(people.com)
