Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 26: The fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a federal immigration officer has ignited a fierce national debate, with President Donald Trump refusing to soften his hard-line immigration stance and instead placing blame squarely on Democratic leaders.
After staying largely silent through most of Sunday, Trump addressed the issue late in the night through lengthy posts on his Truth Social platform, accusing Democrats of encouraging people to obstruct law enforcement operations. He urged Minnesota officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and “turn over” individuals living in the United States illegally.
“Tragically, two American citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos,” Trump wrote, even as criticism mounted over the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement drive.
The president’s comments came amid growing unease within his own party, with several Republicans calling for deeper scrutiny of the incident and expressing concern over the tactics used in Democratic-leaning cities. Trump, however, reiterated his pledge to carry out what he has described as the largest deportation programme in US history.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said his administration was “reviewing everything” related to the shooting but declined to say whether the immigration officer who killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti had acted appropriately. He also did not clarify whether he had watched videos of the incident or planned to speak with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who had appealed for federal support to restore calm.
Instead, Trump announced plans to urge Congress to pass legislation banning so-called sanctuary cities, a move that comes as outrage over the shooting has heightened the risk of a partial government shutdown due to a standoff over immigration enforcement funding.
Trump’s initial reaction on Saturday questioned why Pretti was armed and accused Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inciting “insurrection” through what he called dangerous rhetoric. However, over the weekend, the president made no public appearances expressing sympathy over Pretti’s death, focusing instead on unrelated grievances and social media posts.
When he returned to the issue on Sunday night, Trump called on Minnesota authorities to hand over for deportation undocumented immigrants held in jails or prisons, as well as those with warrants or criminal records. He also criticised Pretti for attending a protest while carrying a firearm, saying such actions “don’t play good either.”
Senior administration officials echoed the president’s stance. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller alleged, without evidence, that Pretti had attempted to attack federal agents, a claim shared by Vice President JD Vance, who blamed local Democratic leaders and what he termed “engineered chaos” in Minneapolis.
The shooting marks the second killing of a US citizen by immigration officers in Minneapolis in recent weeks, further intensifying the political and public fallout surrounding Trump’s immigration crackdown.