Republican calls are growing for a deeper investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Peretti in Minneapolis

WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing number of Republicans are pushing 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 Trump administration’s version of events may face bipartisan scrutiny.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino sought testimony from leaders at ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and USCIS, saying: “My top priority remains keeping Americans safe.”

Read more: Witness accounts of Alex Peretti’s killing contradict the Trump administration’s story. Here’s what we know

A group of other Republicans in Congress, including Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas and Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, pressed for more information. Their statements, as well as the concern expressed by many Republican governors, reflect a party struggling with how to respond to Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretty, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Virginia hospital.

Trump administration officials were quick to label Preeti as the instigator. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was among those who said Peretti “approached” immigration officers with a gun and acted violently. Videos from the scene show Pretty being pushed by an officer and then descended upon by six agents. During the altercation, he was holding a phone but was never seen brandishing the 9mm semi-automatic handgun that police say he is licensed to carry.

The killing raised uncomfortable questions about the GOP’s core positions on issues ranging from gun ownership to states’ rights to trust in the federal government.

Cassidy, who faces a Trump-backed challenger in his reelection bid, said on social media that the shooting was “incredibly disturbing” and that “the credibility of ICE and DHS is at stake.” He called for a “full joint federal and state investigation.” Tillis, who is not seeking re-election, urged a “thorough and impartial investigation” and said that “any administration official who jumps to judgment and tries to shut down the investigation before it begins is doing incredible damage to the nation and President Trump’s legacy.”

Murkowski called for an investigation and added that “ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.” Collins, the only incumbent Republican senator facing re-election in a state carried by Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024, said an investigation was needed “to determine whether or not excessive force was used in a situation that may have been able to be defused without violence.”

While he called on protesters to “hold space” from law enforcement and not intervene, Collins said federal law enforcement must “acknowledge the public’s right to protest and the highly charged situation they now face.”

Even Senator Pete Ricketts, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, called for a “prioritized, transparent investigation.”

“My support for funding ICE remains the same,” the Nebraska Republican, who is seeking re-election, said online. “But we must also uphold our core values ​​as a nation, including the right to protest and assemble.”

Trump and other administration officials have remained steadfast in their defense of hard-line immigration enforcement tactics in Minneapolis, blaming state Democrats along with local law enforcement for not working with them. Many Republicans echoed that sentiment or remained silent.

In a lengthy social media post Sunday evening, Trump called on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership to “formally cooperate” with his administration and pressured Congress to ban so-called sanctuary cities.

The White House is likely to face at least some opposition from the Republican Party

Trump has enjoyed almost the complete loyalty of his fellow Republicans during his first year in the White House. But the positions drawn in the wake of the shooting suggest the administration will face at least some pushback within the party in its quick effort to identify Peretti, who protested Trump’s anti-immigration crackdown, as a violent protester.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller made social media posts referring to a “murderer” and “domestic terrorist” while Noem said Peretti appeared to “obstruct a law enforcement operation.”

At least some Republicans are calling for a de-escalation in Minneapolis.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt told CNN’s “State of the Union” that the shooting was a “true tragedy” and Trump needed to determine his “end game.”

“No one likes the feds coming into their states,” Stitt said. “And what is the goal now? Is it to deport every non-American citizen? I do not think that is what the Americans want.”

Vermont Governor Phil Scott said the shooting was “unacceptable.”

“At best, these federal immigration operations represent a complete failure to coordinate acceptable public safety and law enforcement practices, training, and leadership,” he said in a post. “At worst, it is deliberate federal intimidation and incitement of American citizens.”

Echoing criticism that local law enforcement is not cooperating with federal officials, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., suggested the administration should focus its immigration efforts elsewhere.

“If I were President Trump, I would almost think if the mayor and the governor were going to put our ICE officials in harm’s way, and there was a chance that more innocent lives would be lost or whatever, then maybe I would go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide do we want to continue to take in all these illegal immigrants?” he told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I think the people of Minnesota will rebel against his leadership.”

A sensitive moment for the Republican Party

Pretty’s killing comes at a sensitive moment for the Republican Party as the party prepares for a challenging midterm election year. Trump has sparked a sense of chaos on the world stage, pushing NATO to the brink last week. Domestically, Trump has struggled to respond to widespread concerns about affordability.

At the same time, approval of his handling of the immigration issue, long a political asset for the president and the Republican Party, has declined. Just 38% of American adults approved of how Trump handled immigration in January, down from 49% in March, according to an AP-NORC poll.

He watches: One year later, a look at the impact of Trump’s anti-immigration campaign

The killing sparked notable tension with the Republican Party’s longstanding support for gun rights. Officials say Pretty was armed, but no bystander videos yet show him carrying a weapon. The Minneapolis police chief said Pretty had a permit to carry a weapon.

However, administration officials, including Noem and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have questioned why he was being armed. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week”, Picent said that when he attended the protests, “I didn’t bring a gun. I brought a billboard.”

Such comments were notable for a party whose support for protecting gun ownership under the Second Amendment is central. In fact, many GOP members, including Trump, elevated Kyle Rittenhouse to prominence when the 17-year-old former police cadet shot three men, killing two of them, during a 2020 protest in Wisconsin against police brutality. He was acquitted of all charges after testifying that he acted in self-defense.

In the wake of Pretty’s killing, gun rights advocates have pointed out that it is legal to carry firearms during protests.

“Every peaceful citizen of Minnesota has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, serving as observers or exercising their First Amendment rights,” the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement. “These rights don’t go away when someone is lawfully armed.”

“Responsible public voices should wait for a full investigation, not make generalizations and demonize law-abiding citizens,” the National Rifle Association said in a social media post.
“Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is often critical of the White House.

“It is a right from God protected by the Constitution, and if you don’t understand this, you have no business in law enforcement or government,” he said.

The second Justice Department official said he was aware of reports that Preity was legally armed.

“There’s nothing wrong with anyone legally carrying firearms,” ​​Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But make no mistake about it, this was an incredible split-second decision that had to be made by ICE officers.”

Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in preparing this report