Bipartisan Demands for Investigation into Federal Immigration Shooting
Pressure escalated significantly on Sunday against the Trump administration, with mounting calls for a comprehensive investigation into the fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis the previous day. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and demands for accountability from across the political spectrum, highlighting deep concerns about law enforcement practices and transparency.
Video Evidence Contradicts Official Accounts
Analysis of multiple eyewitness videos circulating on social media revealed that officers had removed a handgun from Pretti, which he was reportedly permitted to carry and was not handling at the time, before fatally shooting him. This visual evidence directly contradicts initial statements from administration officials, fueling demands for truth and justice.
Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy emphasised that the "credibility" of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were "at stake" in this matter. In a post on social media platform X, Cassidy insisted, "There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth."
Democratic Lawmakers Condemn Administration Response
Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar appeared on NBC's Meet the Press, criticising the Trump administration's description of events as fundamentally inaccurate. "I just keep thinking, your eyes don't lie," Klobuchar stated, adding that "law enforcement is based on trust, and we have had a total breakdown of trust." She called for a transparent investigation and demanded that federal immigration enforcement agents withdraw from Minnesota entirely.
Klobuchar further argued that these agents were making communities "less safe, not more safe," referencing both Pretti's shooting and the earlier January 7th killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer. Other prominent Democratic figures joined these calls, including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who urged Senate Democrats to oppose funding for DHS during budget negotiations.
Family Outrage and Legal Developments
The parents of Alex Pretti, Michael and Susan, issued an emotional statement expressing both heartbreak and anger over their son's death. They condemned what they described as "sickening lies told about our son by the administration" as "reprehensible and disgusting." Their statement followed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's claim that Pretti had brandished a gun before agents fired defensive shots—an assertion contradicted by all available video evidence.
In a significant legal development late Saturday, a federal judge issued an order blocking the Trump administration from destroying or altering evidence related to Pretti's killing. This came after Minnesota officials filed a lawsuit against DHS, with Attorney General Keith Ellison demanding "a full, impartial, and transparent investigation" as non-negotiable.
Administration Response and Ongoing Tensions
President Trump responded with characteristic combativeness, accusing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey—both Democrats—of "inciting Insurrection" with their rhetoric. Vice-President JD Vance separately claimed events in Minneapolis represented "engineered chaos" orchestrated by far-left agitators collaborating with local authorities.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara acknowledged limited information about the shooting's circumstances, noting that federal officers had impeded state investigators from accessing the scene as protests erupted on Saturday. ICE and border patrol officials were scheduled to hold a news briefing in Minneapolis early Sunday afternoon, amid growing demands for answers and accountability.
