Sen. Dick Durbin triggered a viral backlash after holding up an AI-generated image on the Senate floor that falsely depicted the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, complete with glaring visual errors.
The Illinois Democrat posted video of his remarks Wednesday, announcing on X that he was on the Senate floor to condemn what he described as the killing of U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers and to demand accountability from the Trump administration.
During the speech, Durbin declared, “This weekend, federal agents gunned down yet another American in Minneapolis,” identifying the victim as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse.
I am on the Senate floor to condemn the killing of U.S. citizens at the hands of federal immigration officers and to demand the Trump Administration take accountability for its actions. https://t.co/kd9HXi1rQN
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) January 28, 2026
Durbin then warned colleagues that he was about to show a graphic image, claiming it was necessary to grasp the severity of the incident, before unveiling a poster-sized image that was later identified as artificially generated.
“This photo shows the last second, before the ICE agent killed Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis,” Durbin asserted, a statement that misstated both the source and the agency involved in the shooting.
The image itself immediately drew attention online for obvious flaws, including a depiction of a federal agent missing his head, a detail critics seized on within minutes of the video circulating.
Commentary on X erupted almost as soon as Durbin’s clip began spreading, with users questioning how an AI-created image made its way into a Senate floor speech.
“You just used an AI image on the floor of the U.S. Senate as evidence, Dick,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage wrote, blasting the presentation.
Another commenter highlighted the visual errors directly, remarking, “Pretty graphic image for sure… considering the one ICE Agent doesn’t have a head.”
MUST WATCH: Footage of an a man who looks like Alex Pretti with a gun in his waistband, spitting on and attacking federal law enforcement officers and kicking the tail light of their vehicle on January 13.
Bombshell report from the BBC.
Important context: Pretti was not a… pic.twitter.com/snzEO8rU8w
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 28, 2026
Political strategist Matt Whitlock weighed in by asking, “Do you have staff?” before adding that falling for an AI image during a floor speech was “WILDLY embarrassing and can’t be helpful to your cause.”
Calls for consequences followed, with one user urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune to “please censure Durbin for displaying an AI photo.”
There has been no indication that Durbin’s office created the image, though the graphic had circulated widely in left-wing online spaces after Pretti’s death.
A Facebook post from Sunday featured the same image shown by Durbin, including the headless agent, suggesting the senator may have relied on material already spreading online.
The controversy unfolded as federal officials faced mounting scrutiny over immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota following a series of violent incidents.
Border czar Tom Homan addressed the situation Thursday, telling reporters that federal immigration authorities would not retreat from their mission despite rising tensions.
Homan outlined meetings with Minnesota officials, including Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, as he attempted to calm unrest and clarify federal intentions.
“We are not surrendering the president’s mission in immigration enforcement,” Homan stated, pushing back against claims that enforcement priorities were shifting.
He argued that focusing first on criminals did not mean ignoring other violations, calling the suggestion “simply ridiculous.”
Homan stressed that when agents encounter both criminal and non-criminal individuals, the criminal “always should be targeted” due to public safety concerns.
He also defended the conduct of immigration officers, noting that for decades ICE and Customs and Border Protection have operated with “integrity, professionalism, and compassion.”
That standard, Homan added, remains in place under President Donald Trump, with leadership committed to holding agents accountable.
During the press conference, Homan confirmed what he described as a productive dialogue with Minnesota officials and voiced hope that the federal presence could eventually be reduced.
Ellison told Homan that county jails could notify ICE about release dates for public safety threats, allowing agents to locate and detain those individuals.
Trump dispatched Homan to Minnesota Monday night in the wake of Pretti’s death, signaling federal concern over the rapidly escalating situation.
Newly released footage showed Pretti spitting at immigration enforcement officers and damaging the taillight of their vehicle 11 days before he was killed.
Minnesota has also been rocked by unrest following the death of Renee Good, who was shot by an ICE agent after striking him with her car on Jan. 7.
Federal officials accused local and state law enforcement of failing to contain the resulting riots, pointing to incidents where police abandoned entire blocks in Minneapolis.
One such episode involved rioters blocking and vandalizing a hotel on Sunday while officers reportedly withdrew from the area.
After Good’s death, the administration deployed nearly 1,000 additional immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota to secure operations.
Those agents arrested multiple criminal illegal aliens with convictions including molestation, terroristic threats, drug possession, and rape, according to a DHS press release dated Jan. 20.
Homan also clashed with CNN correspondent Shimon Prokupecz during the press conference over accusations that ICE operations were spreading fear.
He countered that the surge in enforcement was a direct response to immigration policies under former President Joe Biden.
According to Homan, years of high daily border crossings overwhelmed Border Patrol resources and required thousands of ICE agents to assist.
He argued that millions of individuals were released into the country unvetted, creating an urgent need for enforcement teams to locate public safety threats.
“Well look, the border patrol, the last four years, Joe Biden, we have an open border or 10, 12,000 people a day are coming across the border,” Homan said, describing a system under strain.
He added that before recent legislation, fewer than 5,000 deportation officers were tasked with locating millions of individuals nationwide.
“So yes, we needed more to come and help on our mission now,” Homan continued, tying the expanded deployment to officer safety amid growing violence.
Homan maintained that the federal footprint in Minnesota would shrink once conditions stabilized and threats were removed.
As protests continued, DHS issued internal guidance instructing ICE agents to avoid engagement with demonstrators, according to Reuters.
The reported email from a senior ICE official warned agents not to communicate with “agitators,” stating that interaction would only inflame tensions.
“DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS,” the message read, directing officers to focus solely on immigrants with criminal charges or convictions.
Agents were also instructed to use megaphones and verbally announce each step of the arrest process, though the guidance did not specify responses to noncompliance.
Political reverberations extended to Capitol Hill, where Democratic leaders cautioned House members against traveling to Minnesota.
Axios reported that a senior staffer for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries circulated a message discouraging visits to the state.
“Visiting the state right now, although well intentioned, puts a burden on local resources and does not support our colleagues,” the email stated.
The staffer urged lawmakers to show support through actions in their own districts rather than appearing alongside anti-ICE protesters.
