(The Center Square) – Several Texas Republicans have expressed concerns about U.S. citizens being shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. They did so after Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse working with veterans, was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday.
Gov. Greg Abbott weighed in on the situation in a radio interview, pointing out the differences between immigration enforcement in Texas and Minnesota.
“Texas actually ranks number one for ICE removals, and yet, we don’t have fighting and protests like that,” he said, criticizing Minnesota officials. “Whether it be the governor or local mayors or other local leaders, no one’s trying to incite violence here in the state of Texas … this is truly the problem in Minnesota: it’s more about the lack of leadership and the lack of calming and order by the governor, by the mayor… I think they want it that way.”
He also said the White House needed to “recalibrate on what needs to be done” and “that’s not an easy task.” He suggested the administration “maybe work from a different direction, to ensure that they get back to what they wanted to do to begin with; and go about their job in a more structured way, to make sure that they are going to be able to remove these people without causing all the kinds of problems and fighting in communities that they’re experiencing right now.”
President Donald Trump has since put border czar Tom Homan in charge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Homan discussed his plans at a Thursday morning press conference.
Homan, who has been a supporter of Abbott’s border security efforts, Operation Lone Star, has regularly met with Texas troops and law enforcement at the border. After he was appointed border czar, Abbott said, “President Trump has selected a REAL Border Czar. Tom Homan will do exactly what’s needed to secure the border. There’s no one tougher on the border.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, expressed similar sentiments in his podcast. He pointed out that there have been roughly 60,000 ICE arrests in Texas compared to 10,000 in Minnesota, yet “we’re not seeing violent confrontations with ICE in Texas.” One main reason is because state and local officials, including the governor, legislature, mayors and police are cooperating with ICE, working with the federal immigration enforcement efforts, he said.
Another is because Abbott has been leading on border security efforts for years and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis’ mayor and local officials “have all decided to use Tim Waltz’s words, ‘go to war’” with ICE, he said. The protesters are organized, well-funded and operate similar to military groups, he added, pointing to rioters using surveillance and attacking federal officials with their vehicles.
Cruz also called for a federal investigation into Pretti’s death. “Anytime there’s a fatal encounter with law enforcement, there’s cause for mourning and grief. That was somebody’s mother, brother or sister or father and … that is a tragedy. At the same time, we can ask what has caused these shootings, what has caused these violent encounters,” he said.
He also suggested that Trump administration officials tone down their language. After each U.S. citizen was killed, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized them as “domestic terrorists.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described Pretti as “an assassin” who attempted to “murder federal agents.”
“What I think the administration could do better is, is the tone with which they’re describing this,” Cruz said. “We took out a violent terrorist, hurray,” referring to the characterization. “The problem is, particularly for someone not paying attention, if you’re being told this is a mom of three and there’s no indication, you know, she’s not waving an ISIS flag or, or, or doesn’t have a suicide vest around her, escalating the rhetoric doesn’t help. And it actually loses credibility.”
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul also called for a congressional investigation and praised Homan being put in charge of operations in Minnesota. McCaul, a Republican who is retiring next year after serving two decades in Congress representing a central Texas region, chaired the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security. The committee has called for a hearing to conduct oversight of several DHS agencies, including investigating the recent shootings.
“I am troubled by the events that have unfolded in Minneapolis,” McCaul said after Pretti’s death. “As an attorney and former federal prosecutor, I believe a thorough investigation is necessary – both to get to the bottom of these incidents and to maintain Americans’ confidence in our justice system. I look forward to hearing from DHS officials about what happened here and how we can prevent further escalation in the future.”
After hearing Homan’s plan for continued immigration enforcement in Minnesota Thursday morning, McCaul said, “I’ve known and worked with Tom Homan for many years. With decades of experience, he is the right man to direct this operation. I have no doubt he will work to swiftly remove violent criminals and ensure public safety.”
