More Republicans seek deeper probe into Minnesota shooting
WASHINGTON—A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a US Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, a sign that the Trump administration’s accounting of events may face bipartisan scrutiny.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino sought testimony from leaders at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection and US Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying “my top priority remains keeping Americans safe.”
A host of other congressional Republicans, including Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas and Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, pressed for more information. Their statements, in addition to concerns expressed by several Republican governors, reflected a party struggling with how to respond to Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a veterans affairs hospital.
‘Incredibly disturbing’
Cassidy, who is facing a Trump-backed challenger in his reelection bid, said on social media that the shooting was “incredibly disturbing” and that the “credibility of ICE and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) are at stake.” He pushed for “a full joint federal and state investigation.” Tillis, who is not seeking reelection, urged a “thorough and impartial investigation” and said “any administration official who rushes to judgment and tries to shut down an investigation before it begins are doing an incredible disservice to the nation and to President Trump’s legacy.”
Murkowski called for an investigation and added that “ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.” Collins, the only incumbent Republican senator facing reelection in a state Democrat Kamala Harris carried in 2024, said a probe is needed “to determine whether or not excessive force was used in a situation that may have been able to be diffused without violence.”
Transparent probe
Even Sen. Pete Ricketts, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, called for a “prioritized, transparent investigation.”
Trump and other administration officials remained firm in their defense of the hard-line immigration enforcement tactics in Minneapolis, blaming Democrats in the state, along with local law enforcement, for not working with them. Many Republicans either echoed that sentiment or stayed silent.
In a lengthy social media post on Sunday evening, Trump called on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership to “formally cooperate” with his administration and pressed Congress to ban so-called sanctuary cities.
Impeach Noem
“Tragically, two American citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media network.
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller issued social media posts referencing an “assassin” and “domestic terrorist.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti showed up to “impede a law enforcement operation.”
Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen called for the impeachment of Noem, saying that she believes Noem is attempting to “mislead the American public” about the fatal shooting of Pretti.
The call from Rosen, a moderate from Nevada who was part of the group that helped Republicans end the 43-day government shutdown last year, comes amid a growing fury from congressional Democrats who have also vowed to block funding for the homeland security department.
A House resolution to launch impeachment proceedings against Noem has the support of more than 100 Democrats, but few Senate Democrats have so far weighed in.
“Kristi Noem has been an abject failure leading the Department of Homeland Security for the last year—and the abuses of power we’re seeing from ICE are the latest proof that she has lost control over her own department and staff,” Rosen said.
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