Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released a report on the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen who was killed in Minneapolis by agents from the agency. However, the agency's response to Congress' questions about the incident was not what lawmakers expected.
Instead of providing a mandated report, CBP sent a questionnaire with its own answers to the questions posed by lawmakers. The agency declined to answer many of its own questions, which has raised suspicions among lawmakers and civil rights groups.
The questionnaire asked if agents were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting, but CBP responded that it defers to investigating agencies on such matters. Another question about whether the immigrant being targeted had a final order of removal was also met with a vague response, stating that CBP defers to DHS and investigating agencies for further detail.
The agency's responses have been criticized as unhelpful and evasive. Lawmakers from both parties have called for greater transparency and accountability from CBP, particularly in cases involving the use of force by agents.
CBP has defended its actions, saying that the questionnaire is a standard part of the reporting process and provides an initial outline of events without conveying any definitive conclusions or investigative findings. However, the agency's lack of cooperation with Congress' questions has raised concerns about its commitment to transparency and accountability.
The incident highlights ongoing issues with the use of force by federal agents, particularly in cases involving immigrants and minority communities. Lawmakers have introduced legislation to limit the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents and require DHS to track such incidents, but it remains to be seen whether these measures will be effective in addressing the problem.
In a statement, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, said that the tragic killings of Pretti and Renee Good are just examples of what can happen when federal law enforcement isn't restrained and won't be held accountable. "Since DHS refuses to report on use of force incidents we have no other choice than to force them to with legislation to reign in their violent and deadly tactics and ensure there is transparency," he added.
The incident has also sparked a debate about the role of body-worn cameras in policing and the importance of transparency in law enforcement. Some argue that body-worn cameras can help prevent abuses of power, while others say they are not a silver bullet solution to the problem.
As lawmakers continue to grapple with these issues, it remains to be seen whether CBP's actions will contribute to greater transparency and accountability or further entrench the agency's reluctance to cooperate with Congress.
Instead of providing a mandated report, CBP sent a questionnaire with its own answers to the questions posed by lawmakers. The agency declined to answer many of its own questions, which has raised suspicions among lawmakers and civil rights groups.
The questionnaire asked if agents were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting, but CBP responded that it defers to investigating agencies on such matters. Another question about whether the immigrant being targeted had a final order of removal was also met with a vague response, stating that CBP defers to DHS and investigating agencies for further detail.
The agency's responses have been criticized as unhelpful and evasive. Lawmakers from both parties have called for greater transparency and accountability from CBP, particularly in cases involving the use of force by agents.
CBP has defended its actions, saying that the questionnaire is a standard part of the reporting process and provides an initial outline of events without conveying any definitive conclusions or investigative findings. However, the agency's lack of cooperation with Congress' questions has raised concerns about its commitment to transparency and accountability.
The incident highlights ongoing issues with the use of force by federal agents, particularly in cases involving immigrants and minority communities. Lawmakers have introduced legislation to limit the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents and require DHS to track such incidents, but it remains to be seen whether these measures will be effective in addressing the problem.
In a statement, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, said that the tragic killings of Pretti and Renee Good are just examples of what can happen when federal law enforcement isn't restrained and won't be held accountable. "Since DHS refuses to report on use of force incidents we have no other choice than to force them to with legislation to reign in their violent and deadly tactics and ensure there is transparency," he added.
The incident has also sparked a debate about the role of body-worn cameras in policing and the importance of transparency in law enforcement. Some argue that body-worn cameras can help prevent abuses of power, while others say they are not a silver bullet solution to the problem.
As lawmakers continue to grapple with these issues, it remains to be seen whether CBP's actions will contribute to greater transparency and accountability or further entrench the agency's reluctance to cooperate with Congress.
, sending a questionnaire instead of a real report is like tryin to cover up somethin 
, law makers r right 2 be mad at this kinda thing especially when it comes 2 immigrant communities who r alrdy facin a lot of trauma & mistrust w/ the system 
, what's good w/ body cameras but u won't answer questions about em? 
, transparency is key in law enforcement, gotta make sure we hold people in power accountable for their actions 
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. I mean, they're just following procedure by sending a questionnaire instead of giving out all the juicy details. It's not like they're trying to hide something 
. The fact that lawmakers are calling for more transparency and accountability just sounds like politics as usual 
. We should be glad that the agency is setting some boundaries, you know? It's not like we want the government getting too involved in every little thing 
. Besides, body-worn cameras aren't a silver bullet solution to preventing abuses of power 
. They're just one tool among many. Let's not get carried away with demands for transparency and accountability 
. CBP is doing its job, and if lawmakers can't handle that, then maybe they should take a step back 
.
. i mean, you'd think that when a guy gets killed by federal agents, they'd at least give some kinda straight answer, ya know? but nope, cbp just sends a questionnaire and leaves it all up to DHS and the other agencies to fill in the blanks 
. it's like they're trying to cover their tracks or something. and now we've got lawmakers on both sides saying that this is just another example of why we need more transparency and accountability from these agencies... but will they actually do anything about it? 
So like, CBP sends a questionnaire with their own answers instead of giving lawmakers the real scoop? That's so shady! 
Like, what's the deal with that? 
They're basically saying "we don't know" to all these questions, which is just a cop-out (pun intended). It's not like they're hiding anything incriminating or trying to cover up a crime, but still... 
It feels like they're trying to avoid transparency or something! Anyway, I've been saying for ages that body-worn cameras are super important in policing because it helps prevent abuse of power. And now this incident has sparked the debate all over again 
. I mean, it's only natural for lawmakers to want to know more about a fatal shooting and the actions of the agents involved. But instead of being transparent, they're just sending in these vague questionnaires 
. We need more transparency and accountability in our law enforcement agencies, not less 
.
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gotta have more transparency and accountability in law enforcement, period. 