A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, a sign that the accounting of events by President Donald Trump’s administration may face bipartisan scrutiny.<\/b>
\nA growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, a sign that the accounting of events by President Donald Trump\u2019s 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 \u201cmy top priority remains keeping Americans safe.\u201d
Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., said in a statement that he takes oversight of the Department of Homeland Security seriously and that \u201cCongress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect.\u201d
The push for more information was echoed by the committee\u2019s former chairman, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, along with Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Their statements, in addition to concern expressed from several Republican governors, reflected a party struggling with how to respond to Saturday\u2019s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a VA hospital.
The killing has raised uncomfortable questions about the GOP\u2019s core positions on issues ranging from gun ownership to states\u2019 rights and trust in the federal government.
Cassidy, who is facing a Trump-backed challenger in his reelection bid, said in a social media post that the shooting was \u201cincredibly disturbing\u201d and that the \u201ccredibility of ICE and DHS are at stake.\u201d He, too, was pushing for \u201ca full joint federal and state investigation.\u201d Tillis, who is not seeking reelection, urged a \u201cthorough and impartial investigation\u201d and said \u201cany 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\u2019s legacy.\u201d
Murkowski called for an investigation and added that \u201cICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.\u201d
Administration officials remained firm in their defense of the hard-line immigration enforcement tactics in the Minnesota city, blaming Democrats in the state along with local law enforcement for not working with them. Many Republicans either echoed that sentiment or stayed silent. Trump made no public appearances Sunday, though issued a number of social media posts on topics including the ballroom he is constructing at the White House and further criticism of Canada.
Trump has enjoyed nearly complete loyalty from fellow Republicans during his first year back in the White House. But the positions staked out in the wake of the shooting signal that the administration will face at least some pushback within the party in its swift effort to define Pretti, who protested Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown, as a violent demonstrator.
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller issued social media posts referencing an \u201cassassin\u201d and \u201cdomestic terrorist.\u201d Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti showed up to \u201cimpede a law enforcement operation.\u201d
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union\u201d that the shooting was a \u201creal tragedy\u201d and Trump needs to tell Americans what the \u201cend game\u201d is.
\u201cNobody likes the feds coming to their states,\u201d Stitt said. \u201cAnd so what is the goal right now? Is it to deport every single non-U.S. citizen? I don\u2019t think that\u2019s what Americans want.\u201d
He added: \u201cRight now, tempers are just going crazy and we need to calm this down.\u201d
Vermont\u2019s Republican Gov. Phil Scott said the shooting was \u201cnot acceptable.\u201d
\u201cAt best, these federal immigration operations are a complete failure of coordination of acceptable public safety and law enforcement practices, training and leadership,\u201d he said in a post. \u201cAt worst, it\u2019s deliberate federal intimidation and incitement of American citizens.\u201d
Echoing criticism that local law enforcement isn\u2019t cooperating with federal officials, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., suggested the administration focus its immigration efforts elsewhere.
\u201cIf I were President Trump, I would almost think about if the mayor and the governor are going to put our ICE officials in harm\u2019s way and there\u2019s 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?\u201d he told \u201cSunday Morning Futures\u201d on the Fox News Channel. \u201cI think the people of Minnesota would rebel against their leadership.\u201d
Pretti\u2019s 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\u2019s prime minister. Domestically, Trump has struggled to respond to widespread affordability concerns.
Meanwhile, approval of his handling of immigration \u2014 long a political asset for the president and the GOP \u2014 has tumbled in recent months. Just 38% of U.S. adults approved of how Trump was handling immigration in January, down from 49% in March, according to an AP-NORC poll.<\/p>\n