Minneapolis Shooting Sparks Backlash, Calls to Abolish ICE
Minneapolis, MN – The fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis ignited a surge of backlash against the Trump administration's immigration policies, with support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rising even among Republicans, according to multiple sources. The shooting, which occurred on Saturday, marked the second fatal incident involving federal agents in the city in just over two weeks.
President Donald Trump responded to the growing bipartisan criticism by ordering a shake-up of top officials, Time reported. Tom Homan, considered a proponent of targeted enforcement, was appointed to head ICE operations in Minneapolis. Greg Bovino, a Border Patrol commander associated with aggressive immigration arrests, was expected to leave the city on Tuesday along with a contingent of federal agents, according to the Associated Press.
The recent events have intensified calls to abolish ICE. A new YouGov poll conducted on the day of Pretti's shooting revealed that 19 percent of Republicans and 48 percent of American adults across the political spectrum now support abolishing the agency, Time reported. This represents a significant increase from June, when only 9 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of Americans overall favored abolishing ICE.
The circumstances surrounding Pretti's death have also drawn scrutiny. The Trump administration's defense of the shooting has centered on the fact that Pretti had a gun, according to Vox. This argument has been met with criticism, with some questioning the "unbearable hypocrisy of pro-gun conservatives" defending the killing, as Vox noted.
In Congress, Democrats, and even some Republicans, are moving to rein in ICE, Vox reported. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement after Pretti's death, asserting that Senate Democrats would force changes to Trump's immigration forces, even if it meant shutting down the government.
Adding to the controversy, Minnesota's secretary of state alleged that the Trump administration was attempting to leverage the state's voter data in exchange for a reduction in the federal presence in Minneapolis, Vox reported.
The situation in Minneapolis remains tense, with ongoing debates about the role and conduct of federal immigration agents. The events have amplified the national conversation about immigration policy and the future of ICE, with lawmakers and the public grappling with the implications of the recent shootings and the Trump administration's response.
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