WASHINGTON (AP) — A handful of Republicans expressed growing concern Sunday about the tactics that federal immigration officials are using in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man during a protest.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt stated that the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse protesting President Trump's immigration policies, was a “real tragedy.” Pretti was a U.S. citizen born in Illinois.
“I think the death of Americans, what we’re seeing on TV, it’s causing deep concerns over federal tactics and accountability,” Stitt shared on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He emphasized that Americans are unsettled by the current situation.
When asked whether he believed the president should pull immigration agents from Minnesota, Stitt remarked that the president needs to respond to that question, stating, “He’s getting bad advice right now.”
The governor highlighted the need for the Republican president to communicate the solutions and the “endgame” of his policies, urging a move away from politicizing the matter. “Tempers are just going crazy, and we need to calm this down,” he added.
Other Republicans like Senators Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy also expressed unease regarding the incident. Cassidy described the shooting as “incredibly disturbing,” cautioning that the credibility of ICE and DHS is at stake. Tillis called for a “thorough and impartial investigation.”
“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,” he warned.
Meanwhile, administration officials defended the tough immigration enforcement tactics. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged the tragedy of any death but criticized Minnesota’s Democratic leaders for allegedly inciting chaos. He mentioned, “There are a lot of paid agitators who are ginning things up and the governor has not done a good job of tamping this down.”
