PHILADELPHIA, PA – Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner ignited a national firestorm Monday night with a speech condemning federal immigration agents, vowing that state prosecutors would pursue accountability for the recent fatal shootings in Minnesota involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Speaking at a public event, Krasner described the agents involved in the Minnesota incidents as “a small bunch of wannabe Nazis,” saying that state-level prosecutors were preparing coordinated actions to investigate potential criminal conduct. “If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities, we will find you, we will achieve justice,” Krasner said.
His remarks came amid mounting outrage over the death of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse shot and killed during an ICE operation last week, and two other shootings under investigation by Minnesota prosecutors. Krasner said he and other state attorneys general were supporting Minneapolis prosecutor Mary Morardi, who is leading the inquiry into the incidents. “There will be accountability now. There will be accountability in the future,” Krasner told the crowd.
The Philadelphia DA’s statement drew immediate reaction from law enforcement groups and federal officials. ICE representatives declined to comment directly on Krasner’s language but said the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility is cooperating with federal investigators reviewing the shootings.
Krasner, known for his outspoken criticism of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, emphasized that his comments referred to specific acts of violence allegedly committed by officers and not to all federal agents. Still, his “hunt you down” phrasing drew condemnation from national police unions and Republican lawmakers, who accused him of inflammatory rhetoric that could endanger officers.
The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly responded to Krasner’s remarks, but officials confirmed that all three shootings in Minneapolis remain under internal and external review.
- Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner vowed to hold ICE agents accountable for recent Minnesota shootings
- He compared the agents involved to “wannabe Nazis,” sparking national backlash
- Federal investigations into the deaths, including that of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti, remain ongoing