Former President Joe Biden posted a statement Tuesday on X about recent violence in Minnesota that has been largely directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — a message that quickly drew sharp criticism from users who blamed Biden’s immigration policies for broader instability and accused Democrats of selective outrage.
“Minnesotans have reminded us all what it is to be American, and they have suffered enough at the hands of this Administration,” Biden wrote in part of the post. “Violence and terror have no place in the United States of America, especially when it’s our own government targeting American citizens.”
Critics argued that Biden’s framing was difficult to reconcile with actions taken during his presidency, pointing to federal law-enforcement operations and prosecutions related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Others referenced cases involving anti-abortion activists who were prosecuted under federal law during Biden’s term. President Donald Trump, after taking office in 2025, issued pardons for many people connected to Jan. 6 and some abortion-related cases.
Biden closed his statement by calling for investigations into two deaths connected to anti-ICE activity this month — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — and offered condolences to their families.
“Now, justice requires full, fair, and transparent investigations into the deaths of the two Americans who lost their lives in the city they called home. Jill and I are sending strength to the families and communities who love Alex Pretti and Renee Good as we all mourn their senseless deaths,” Biden wrote.
The response on X was immediate, with many users telling Biden to stay out of the issue and accusing him of ignoring victims of crimes committed by people in the country illegally. Others criticized Democrats more broadly for what they described as inconsistent empathy depending on the political context.
Some commenters pointed to high-profile cases from the past two years to argue that Democrats have failed to center victims and families when illegal-immigration crimes are involved, including the February 2024 killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. They also referenced a moment during Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address in which he misspoke the victim’s name, as well as reactions during Trump’s March address to Congress, when some lawmakers did not stand or applaud during acknowledgments of victims’ families.
One user argued that the rhetoric surrounding the Minnesota incidents reflected a broader political strategy and accused Democrats of elevating lawbreakers as symbols to energize activism.
In short, Biden’s post — intended as a condemnation of violence and a call for investigations — instead became a flashpoint for an argument that has defined much of the immigration debate: who receives public sympathy, who is blamed, and whether political leaders apply the same moral standards across different kinds of victims and unrest.
