Minneapolis, United States — US President Donald Trump has announced that he is sending his administration’s border tsar, Tom Homan, to Minnesota as public outrage grows over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen killed by federal agents during an attempted arrest.
The move comes amid mounting calls for a full independent inquiry into the incident, which occurred on Saturday in Minneapolis and marks the second fatal shooting by federal law enforcement in the city this month.
Conflicting Accounts of the Shooting
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem initially claimed that Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a semi-automatic handgun and “reacted violently,” forcing agents to fire in self-defence.
However, state and local officials have contradicted that account. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz dismissed Noem’s version as “nonsense,” while BBC Verify footage shows Pretti was not holding a firearm at the time of the shooting and appears to show agents removing the gun from his waistband before shots were fired.
Trump Sends Tom Homan to Minnesota
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said Homan would travel to Minnesota to oversee enforcement operations and report directly to him.
“Homan is tough but fair,” Trump wrote, adding that a “major investigation” was under way into alleged welfare fraud in the state.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that Homan would be “managing ICE operations on the ground” and coordinating investigations into fraud, while continuing efforts to arrest what the administration describes as “violent, criminal, illegal aliens.”
Noem Backed by White House
Despite growing criticism, the White House has reaffirmed its support for Secretary Noem. Leavitt said Noem retains the president’s “full trust and confidence” and will continue to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Noem welcomed Homan’s deployment, calling it “good news for peace, security and accountability in Minneapolis.”
Public Mood Turning Against Immigration Crackdown
Over the past 24 hours, the Trump administration has softened its rhetoric after initially branding Pretti a “domestic terrorist.”
Trump later described the killing as “tragic” and said his administration was “reviewing everything,” though he added that it “doesn’t play good” when someone goes to a protest with a loaded gun.
North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher says the shift in tone reflects a White House struggling to respond to a public mood that is rapidly souring on Trump’s immigration policies.
Protests and Legal Challenges Intensify
Vigils and protests have spread across Minneapolis and other US cities, with demonstrators demanding the withdrawal of ICE agents from Minnesota.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Minneapolis is hearing arguments on whether the large-scale ICE deployment in the state violates the US Constitution.
Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison argues that the operation amounts to an unconstitutional federal invasion, while the Justice Department insists federal law enforcement has full authority to act.
Second Federal Killing in Minneapolis This Month
Pretti’s death follows the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by federal agents on January 7, intensifying scrutiny of ICE and Border Patrol operations in the city.
Former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have both voiced concerns over what they describe as a culture of impunity among federal immigration agents.
