The killing of a second US citizen by an ICE immigration officer has further intensified criticism of the US government’s actions. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and his team are trying to justify the tragic death of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti with false claims.
They blame Pretti himself and Democratic politicians in Minnesota. But video footage of the incident, which has been shared thousands of times, refute the government’s account.
Perhaps that’s why some Republicans are now questioning the official version. Senators Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, both close Trump allies, called for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting.
Cassidy warned that the credibility of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is at stake. Rep. James Comer suggested pulling officers from Minnesota and moving them to other cities.
However, the majority of Republicans remain silent
“If the mayor (of Minneapolis) and the governor (of Minnesota) are not supporting our ICE officers and there is a risk of more innocent lives being lost, then maybe we should go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all these illegal immigrants in our city?,” said the chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska also made it clear in a post on Xthat the killing of Pretti by a Border Patrol agent (CBP) “raises serious questions.” The Alaska senator added that agents “do not have a free pass in carrying out their duties.”
However, the majority of Republicans remain silent or stand behind Trump. Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey told Fox News, “Peaceful protesters do not carry 9-millimeter weapons with two extra magazines.”
The government is trying to portray Pretti as an alleged “terrorist” and “assassin” who planned to massacre federal officials. However, there is no evidence of this. Pretti had no criminal record and had a legal firearms license.
In addition to the criticism that Pretti verbally confronted the officers with a loaded gun, Trump also blames the Democratic politicians in Minnesota for the fatal outcome. The US president said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday that his 2024 election victory would give him the mandate to carry out the largest mass deportation in US history.
Trump: The problem is the Democrat cities
“This deportation operation is underway, and in Republican-run cities and states, these operations are proceeding peacefully and smoothly as local law enforcement is allowed to cooperate with their federal counterparts,” the US president wrote.
Trump gave several examples where this was the case. He called on Republicans in Congress to end sanctuary city policies. These are mostly Democratic-run cities where local authorities refuse to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration issues. He calls sanctuary cities the “root of all these problems.”
However, pressure on the government is growing. According to a YouGov poll Almost half of those surveyed believe Pretti’s death was unjustified, and only 20 percent see no wrongdoing.
Type of investigation still unclear
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal Trump said on Sunday evening that the deadly incident would be “fully investigated.” He also held out the prospect of withdrawing troops from Minnesota.
What this investigation will look like is unclear. Currently, DHS’s investigative unit, known as HSI, is leading the investigation alongside the FBI. As in the Renee Good case, local authorities were not involved. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is still calling for a state-level investigation to expose the government’s “lies.” A judge issued an order prohibiting federal authorities from destroying or altering evidence in the Pretti case. A hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
The daily protests against ICE continued unabated on Sunday despite freezing temperatures. Minnesota’s business sector has also called for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions.” More than 60 companies and companies called for “peace and intentional cooperation between local, state and federal leaders” in an open letter.
Further protests were expected on Monday.