US President Donald Trump said his administration would “de-escalate a little bit” its operations in Minnesota following the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal immigration officers in the state this month.
Speaking in a Fox News interview on Tuesday, Trump described the incidents as tragic. “Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible,” he said.
In early January, Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer. That was followed by the death of Alex Pretti, who was killed after being stopped by border agents over the weekend. Pretti’s death sparked protests in Minnesota and renewed criticism from lawmakers across party lines, increasing pressure on the administration to scale back its presence in the state.
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On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security removed the leader of its Minnesota mission, Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino. DHS said White House border adviser Tom Homan would take charge of operations and meet local officials. Homan later said he had met Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and local law enforcement leaders.
Addressing reporters ahead of a rally in Iowa on Tuesday night, Trump described Pretti’s killing as “a very unfortunate incident”. Asked whether he agreed with claims that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist”, Trump said he had not heard that characterization, adding: “He shouldn't have been carrying a gun.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti was shot after “brandishing” a gun during a confrontation. Local authorities, however, said the firearm was legally registered and that Pretti was shot after it had been removed. DHS said agents fired in self-defence after Pretti resisted efforts to disarm him, but eyewitnesses and local officials disputed that account, saying he was holding a phone, not a weapon.
In comments following the shooting, Noem accused Pretti of “domestic terrorism”, saying he was not there to protest peacefully but to incite violence.
Pretti’s death, coming just weeks after the killing of 37-year-old Renee Good, angered residents and prompted renewed calls from state and city leaders for the withdrawal of around 3,000 immigration agents from Minnesota.
Despite signalling a de-escalation, Trump defended the operation, saying it had removed “thousands of hardened criminals” from the state and contributed to improved crime figures. “That's all working out, we have Tom Homan there now,” he said.
White House aide Stephen Miller told CNN that DHS had been instructed to use additional personnel for fugitive operations and to separate arrest teams from protesters. He said the administration was reviewing whether those guidelines were followed.
Several Republican leaders have also called for an investigation into Pretti’s death, including Vermont Governor Phil Scott and US Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. Ricketts said the country had witnessed a “horrifying situation” and urged a transparent investigation, while reaffirming his support for funding immigration enforcement.
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A federal judge has ordered DHS not to destroy or alter any evidence related to the case.
Trump did not address the Minnesota situation in detail during his Iowa rally, instead highlighting his broader immigration crackdown and citing a December Harvard Harris poll that suggested strong public support for deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes.
#With inputs from BBC