Pressure mounted on Donald Trump’s administration following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. Calls for a full and impartial investigation came from across the political spectrum after video analysis reportedly showed officers removing a handgun, which Pretti was legally permitted to carry and not handling, before fatally shooting him. This incident, along with the earlier killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, intensified scrutiny on federal law enforcement tactics.

Former President Barack Obama described Pretti’s killing as a “heartbreaking tragedy” and a “wake-up call,” asserting that federal law enforcement and immigration agents were operating unlawfully and without accountability in Minnesota.

He criticized the spectacle of masked federal agents acting with impunity, engaging in tactics designed to intimidate and endanger residents, which had now resulted in two fatal shootings of US citizens. Obama also supported the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis, urging citizens to speak out against injustice and hold the government accountable.

Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy echoed calls for a full joint federal and state investigation, stating that the “credibility” of ICE and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was “at stake.” This sentiment was shared by other Republican figures who emphasized the need for truth to be revealed to the American people.

Democratic lawmakers, including US House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, called for federal immigration authorities to withdraw from Minnesota. Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Adam Schiff of California announced they would vote against impending DHS funding, citing not only the killings but also other controversial incidents involving federal agents, such as taking children from mothers and rough treatment of an elder Hmong man.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy condemned the “lawless Department of Homeland Security” for “murdering American citizens” and “traumatizing little boys and girls.” New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill labeled the federal presence a “Stasi-type force of secret police” operating unaccountably.

The Trump administration, however, presented a contradictory narrative. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti brandished a gun before agents fired “defensive shots,” a claim widely disputed by video evidence and eyewitness accounts.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged an ongoing investigation but suggested that videos did not tell the whole story, stating, “We don’t know what happened in the minutes leading up to what we just watched.” Blanche also asserted that anti-immigration enforcement protesters were not peaceful and that the situation was “entirely avoidable” if Minnesota and Washington leadership “actually cared about their citizens.” Border patrol commander Gregory Bovino, when asked why Pretti was shot, questioned whether he was unarmed, suggesting that “freeze-frame adjudication of a crime scene via a photo” was insufficient and that investigators would uncover the facts. He went on to identify the border patrol agents as the victims.

In a surprising turn, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other pro-gun advocacy groups, typically aligned with Trump, joined calls for a full investigation. They criticized Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, who posted that “if you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you.” The NRA responded that this sentiment was “dangerous and wrong,” urging for a full investigation instead of generalizations. Gun Owners of America also challenged Essayli’s claim, affirming that the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms while protesting.

Former NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch and Republican Representative Thomas Massie also pushed back against Essayli’s statements, emphasizing that carrying a firearm is a constitutionally protected right, not a death sentence.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus called for a full and transparent investigation, stressing that peaceable Minnesotans have the right to keep and bear arms, including at protests. They corrected FBI director Kash Patel’s assertion that one cannot bring a loaded firearm with multiple magazines to a protest in Minnesota, stating there is no such prohibition and that failing to carry an ID with a permit is merely a $25 ticket. Sworn testimonies from witnesses consistently stated that Pretti was not brandishing a gun, aligning with publicly available video evidence and contradicting the administration’s claims.

Further complicating matters, a federal judge issued an order blocking the Trump administration from destroying or altering evidence related to Pretti’s killing, following a lawsuit by Minnesota officials. The Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, demanded a “full, impartial, and transparent investigation.” Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara noted limited information, and federal officers were reported to have impeded state investigators from accessing the scene of Pretti’s killing.

The broader political fallout included a potential government shutdown at the end of January, as Democrats threatened to withhold votes for DHS funding if immigration enforcement funding remained in the package, with Senator Schiff warning that Republicans would be responsible for any shutdown.