A growing number of Republicans are questioning the Trump administration's response to Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse who was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Criticism of the administration's handling of the shooting has extended beyond those who usually disagree with President Trump. Some Trump allies are also speaking out against immigration agents' tactics and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) response to Pretti's death. While some Republicans have called for investigations into Pretti's shooting, others are pushing for more transparency.
Two Senate Republicans, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to step down on Tuesday. Tillis described her as "incompetent." President Trump has publicly defended Noem, and sources suggest she will remain in her position.
Some Republicans have criticized the administration's rapid response to Pretti's death, arguing that they jumped to judgment without all the facts. The DHS secretary alleged that Pretti was armed with a gun when he approached Border Patrol agents with his back to them, but videos show Pretti holding up his phone. A Border Patrol commander accused Pretti of trying to "massacre law enforcement."
Others have criticized White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller's description of Pretti as a "would-be assassin" and domestic terrorist without providing any evidence. Republican Senator Ted Cruz urged the administration to tone down its rhetoric, arguing that escalating it only loses credibility.
The criticism has also extended to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, with some Republicans calling for her resignation. Republican Senator John Curtis disagreed with Noem's response, saying she was "premature" and weakened confidence in the agency.
Some Republicans have called for a full investigation into Pretti's death, including Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, who pointed out that gun rights are a key issue. He said his family deserves a fair process. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana argued that Second Amendment rights do not disappear when exercising other rights and that the Constitution protects this right.
The shooting has also raised concerns about the Trump administration's immigration policies. Some Republicans have expressed frustration with the administration's handling of the situation, calling for more transparency and accountability. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt described Pretti's death as a "real tragedy" and said most Americans want President Trump to address immigration but urged the administration to define its "endgame."
The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have requested that the heads of ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services appear before the panels in the coming weeks.
As a result of the criticism, some Republicans are pushing back against the Trump administration's immigration policies. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the White House should "recalibrate" its approach to immigration enforcement, while Chris Madel, a Republican who was running for Minnesota governor, cited the administration's crackdown as an "unmitigated disaster."
The DHS funding bill that includes provisions for body-worn cameras, law enforcement de-escalation training, and more oversight of detention facilities has become a contentious issue in Congress. Many Senate Democrats have refused to vote for the bill unless changes are made.
In the wake of Pretti's death, Republicans are pushing for transparency and accountability within the DHS. The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have requested that the heads of ICE and other agencies appear before the panels in the coming weeks.
Criticism of the administration's handling of the shooting has extended beyond those who usually disagree with President Trump. Some Trump allies are also speaking out against immigration agents' tactics and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) response to Pretti's death. While some Republicans have called for investigations into Pretti's shooting, others are pushing for more transparency.
Two Senate Republicans, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to step down on Tuesday. Tillis described her as "incompetent." President Trump has publicly defended Noem, and sources suggest she will remain in her position.
Some Republicans have criticized the administration's rapid response to Pretti's death, arguing that they jumped to judgment without all the facts. The DHS secretary alleged that Pretti was armed with a gun when he approached Border Patrol agents with his back to them, but videos show Pretti holding up his phone. A Border Patrol commander accused Pretti of trying to "massacre law enforcement."
Others have criticized White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller's description of Pretti as a "would-be assassin" and domestic terrorist without providing any evidence. Republican Senator Ted Cruz urged the administration to tone down its rhetoric, arguing that escalating it only loses credibility.
The criticism has also extended to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, with some Republicans calling for her resignation. Republican Senator John Curtis disagreed with Noem's response, saying she was "premature" and weakened confidence in the agency.
Some Republicans have called for a full investigation into Pretti's death, including Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, who pointed out that gun rights are a key issue. He said his family deserves a fair process. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana argued that Second Amendment rights do not disappear when exercising other rights and that the Constitution protects this right.
The shooting has also raised concerns about the Trump administration's immigration policies. Some Republicans have expressed frustration with the administration's handling of the situation, calling for more transparency and accountability. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt described Pretti's death as a "real tragedy" and said most Americans want President Trump to address immigration but urged the administration to define its "endgame."
The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have requested that the heads of ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services appear before the panels in the coming weeks.
As a result of the criticism, some Republicans are pushing back against the Trump administration's immigration policies. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the White House should "recalibrate" its approach to immigration enforcement, while Chris Madel, a Republican who was running for Minnesota governor, cited the administration's crackdown as an "unmitigated disaster."
The DHS funding bill that includes provisions for body-worn cameras, law enforcement de-escalation training, and more oversight of detention facilities has become a contentious issue in Congress. Many Senate Democrats have refused to vote for the bill unless changes are made.
In the wake of Pretti's death, Republicans are pushing for transparency and accountability within the DHS. The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have requested that the heads of ICE and other agencies appear before the panels in the coming weeks.
He was just a nurse doing his job and didn't deserve to be shot by Border Patrol agents. I think it's crazy that some Trump allies are speaking out against immigration agents' tactics, it's like they're finally using their brains for once 
. The fact that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is still in her position despite all the criticism is just ridiculous 
. It's not about having a different opinion on immigration, it's about treating people with respect and dignity. We need more transparency and accountability from our government officials, especially when it comes to law enforcement actions 
This whole thing is just crazy. I mean, it's one thing to be concerned about immigration policies, but not having some basic info like what Alex Pretti was doing when he got shot seems kinda fishy 
. And can we talk about how ridiculous that "would-be assassin" comment from Stephen Miller sounds? Like, no evidence, just go ahead and make a wild accusation 
. It's not surprising to see more and more Republicans speaking out against the Trump administration's immigration policies, though - it's time for some accountability 
. The fact that DHS funding is becoming an issue in Congress shows us where our priorities should be 
. I'm all for body-worn cameras and de-escalation training, but let's make sure we're not just throwing money at the problem without actually fixing the issues 
.
dhs secretary kristi noem needs to get her facts together, i mean come on, a guy's dead and you gotta say he was armed with a gun when he's clearly not holding one 
but honestly, the real issue here is how much they're trying to spin this and push their agenda 
we need more transparency and accountability from our government, especially when it comes to law enforcement and immigration policies 
. Can we please just have a calm, rational conversation about this instead of throwing insults and accusations around? 
. I just hope that from now on, we can all learn from each other and find ways to improve our response to these kinds of situations 
the fact that they're pushing for more transparency and accountability is a step in the right direction 
but at the same time, i think it's a bit late for that 
. We need to have these kinds of conversations to build trust and ensure that our immigration policies are fair and just for everyone 
.
. I think it's great that some Republicans are pushing for more transparency and accountability within the DHS - it's about time someone called them out on their tactics 
. The idea of body-worn cameras and law enforcement de-escalation training is definitely a step in the right direction 
. And can we talk about how Chris Madel is using Pretti's death as an example of his own party's 'unmitigated disaster' ? It's like he's trying to distance himself from the Trump administration, but I'm not buying it 
. Overall, I think this whole situation is a wake-up call for Republicans to re-examine their stance on immigration 
. And can we pls stop w/ da gun rights drama? 
it's all just a big mess right now
. It's like, we need to take a step back and consider how our words might affect others.
. And now, like, half the Repubs are goin crazy and wantin Noem to step down 
It's all about the optics, fam 
. And don't even get me started on Miller's "would-be assassin" comment - what even is that supposed to mean? 
. And can we please just calm down on the guns and immigration thing? 
It's all so extra 
.
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. It's time for the administration to take responsibility for its policies and show some transparency 
.
. Some want more oversight, others want to push back against the White House 
.
Like, I get it, it's an issue for some people, but come on. This is about a human being who was just minding their own business and got killed by agents who clearly didn't have their backs covered.
. "Would-be assassin" and domestic terrorist? That's not how you handle a situation like this, guys. You should be trying to figure out what happened and how we can prevent it in the future, not demonizing an innocent person.
. The DHS secretary needs to step down if she can't even get her own story straight. And the President needs to take a hard look at his immigration policies and figure out how they're affecting real people's lives. This is bigger than just politics, it's about human lives 
.
We should all be advocating for transparency and accountability in these situations. Let's hope that the government listens to our concerns and makes some changes soon 
. It shows that even within their own ranks, there are people who see the problems with Trump's immigration policies and want to make a change. Maybe this is an opportunity for some real soul-searching and reforms? 
some repubs are finally speakin out against trump's immigration policies after alex pretti died 
also i'm glad some repubs r pushin 4 transparency & accountability within DHS