Leading figures within the Republican Party have diverged from President Trump’s stance, openly criticizing ICE and Border Patrol following a fatal shooting incident in Minnesota. Kentucky Congressman James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee, has voiced strong opinions, suggesting that federal agents should withdraw from Minneapolis due to the increasingly dangerous situations they encounter there. Alex Pretti, a US citizen filming the agents, was shot dead on Saturday, marking another tragic incident after the recent killing of protester Renee Nicole Good by ICE. Speaking to Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Comer remarked that if he were Trump, he might consider relocating the agents to prevent further loss of innocent lives, thereby allowing Minneapolis residents to make their own decisions.

Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana also expressed his concerns, labeling the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol as ‘incredibly disturbing’ on his social media account. He emphasized that the credibility of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security is on the line and called for a comprehensive joint investigation by federal and state agencies. Cassidy underscored the importance of transparency by stating that the American public deserves to know the truth. Similarly, Washington State Congressman Michael Baumgartner shared his unease about the footage from Minnesota, indicating his disturbance at the events captured.

Andrew Garbarino, the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and a Republican from New York, reaffirmed his calls for DHS and ICE to testify before his committee in the near future. In a statement released on Saturday, Garbarino stressed the necessity for Congress to thoroughly investigate to ensure the safety of both law enforcement and the communities they serve. He expressed his expectation that the recent incidents will be a focal point in the upcoming hearing. Meanwhile, the Trump administration seems to struggle with a unified response among its representatives.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet The Press Sunday, President Donald’s Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche (pictured) admitted to moderator Kristen Welker that he did ‘not know… and nobody else knows, either,’ if 37-year-old Alex Pretti was disarmed before he was killed. Trump’s Border Patrol leader Greg Bovino argued during his own appearance on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday that Pretti was on the scene to ‘impede’ law enforcement, and that he should not have engaged with ‘an active law enforcement scene’. 

CNN host Dana Bash pushed back on Bovino’s claims, asking for evidence that Pretti was involved in any action not protected by his First or Second Amendment rights. ‘Did he assault the Federal officer in any of the videos that you had seen,’ Bash asked Bovino (pictured), before adding that ‘it looked to us from every angle, sir, that he was approached by them when he was helping another individual who was pushed down.’ ‘What evidence do you have that he was assaulting any law enforcement?’ Bash further asked. Bovino doubled down on the claim that Pretti’s ‘help’ was not needed on the scene, then deflected to offer his take on the broader law enforcement situation in Minneapolis. ‘What our officers are faced with here in Minneapolis are chaotic, very difficult and violent situations,’ Bovino stated, before once again pointing the finger at Pretti for ‘bringing a loaded weapon to a riot’. Bovino eventually argued that Pretti’s Second Amendment rights were voided by presenting as a threat to law enforcement officers.