President Donald Trump blamed Democratic officials for “chaos” following the fatal shooting of a protester by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, according to posts on his Truth Social network and comments to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. The shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti marked the second killing by immigration officers in the city in recent weeks and prompted some Republicans to question the administration’s enforcement approach even as Trump refused to back away from his immigration crackdown.
The incident highlights tensions between Trump’s large-scale immigration enforcement operations in Democratic-led cities and a growing number of Republicans who have begun questioning whether the administration’s tactics are appropriate in the wake of civilian deaths.
Trump’s Response
In posts to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump blamed Democratic officials for the shooting’s consequences, writing that “Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos.” He called on Minnesota officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement operations and demanded they “turn over” people determined to be in the U.S. illegally.
When asked whether the officer who shot Pretti acted appropriately, Trump told The Wall Street Journal his administration was “reviewing everything” but refused to make a determination. Trump did not answer whether he had watched videos of the shooting, which appeared to contradict his administration’s account of events. He said immigration enforcement officers would leave Minneapolis “at some point” but provided no time frame.
The president also criticized Pretti for carrying a firearm. “I don’t like any shooting. I don’t like it,” Trump said. “But I don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he’s got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also. That doesn’t play good either.”
Republican Skepticism and Administration Defense
The fatal shooting prompted some Republicans to call for a deeper investigation into the administration’s enforcement approach. Several party members expressed concern about aspects of the operations being conducted in heavily Democratic cities.
Members of Trump’s administration quickly characterized the shooting as an instance in which an armed man provoked violence. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stated, without offering evidence, that Pretti was “an assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.”
Vice President JD Vance shared Miller’s post on social media and issued additional statements describing events in Minneapolis as “engineered chaos” that was “the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities.”
Congressional Action
Trump said he would call on Congress to pass legislation banning so-called sanctuary cities, which his administration has sought to apply to communities based on their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
The push for legislation reflects rising tensions. The shooting has raised the possibility of a partial government shutdown in the coming week because of disagreement over additional funding for immigration enforcement operations. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had publicly appealed to Trump to help bring calm to the city.