WASHINGTON (AP) — A handful of Republicans called for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, an early sign that the accounting of events by President Donald Trump's administration may face bipartisan scrutiny.
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee sought testimony from leaders at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying “my top priority remains keeping Americans safe.”
Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., said in a statement that he takes oversight of the Department of Homeland Security seriously and that "Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect.”
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana also pressed for more information about the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a VA hospital who was killed Saturday. In a social media post, Tillis called for 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.”
Cassidy said the shooting was “incredibly disturbing” and that the “credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake." He, too, was pushing for “a full joint federal and state investigation.”
Administration officials remained firm in their defense of the hard-line immigration enforcement tactics in the Minnesota city, blaming Democrats in the state and local law enforcement for not working with them. The broader GOP either echoed that sentiment or stayed silent in the aftermath of the shooting.
But the calls for an investigation from some Republicans suggest the White House may face at least some pushback within the party in its swift effort to Pretti, who protested Trump’s immigration crackdown, as a violent demonstrator. Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller referred to Pretti in social media posts as an “assassin” and “domestic terrorist.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti showed up to “impede a law enforcement operation.”
Pretti's killing comes at a sensitive moment for the GOP as the party prepares for a challenging midterm election year. Trump has fomented a sense of chaos on the world stage, bringing the NATO alliance to the brink last week as he pushed Denmark to cede control of Greenland to the United States while also intensifying a dispute with Canada's prime ministe r. Domestically, Trump has struggled to respond to widespread affordability concerns. Meanwhile, approval of his handling of immigration — long a political asset for the president and the GOP — has tumbled since he took office in January 2025.
At a minimum, some Republicans are calling for a de-escalation in Minneapolis.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told CNN's “State of the Union” that the shooting was a “real tragedy” and Trump needs to tell Americans what the “end game” is.
“Nobody likes the feds coming to their states,” Stitt said. “And so what is the goal right now? Is it to deport every single non-U.S. citizen? I don't think that's what Americans want.”
He added: “Right now, tempers are just going crazy and we need to calm this down.”
Echoing the administration's criticism that local law enforcement isn't cooperating with federal officials, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., suggested the administration focus its immigration efforts elsewhere.
“If I were President Trump, I would almost think about if the mayor and the governor are going to put our ICE officials in harm's way and there's a chance of losing more innocent lives or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide do we want to continue to have all these illegals?” he said. “I think the people of Minnesota would rebel against their leadership.”
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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report