A powerful House Republican is urging President Trump to consider withdrawing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti by a federal officer — warning the situation could spiral further out of control.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said Sunday that de-escalation may now be the only way to prevent more bloodshed after the 37-year-old ICU nurse was gunned down during protests a day earlier.
“If I were President Trump, I would almost think about pulling ICE out,” Comer told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “If the mayor and the governor are going to put our ICE officials in harm’s way and there’s a chance of losing more innocent lives, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals? Are we going to allow our governor, attorney general and mayor to get away with this?”
The killing has triggered bipartisan shock and growing calls for a full investigation into how a licensed gun owner attending a protest ended up dead at the hands of federal agents.
Sens. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) both demanded an independent probe, warning that the credibility of federal immigration authorities is now on the line.
“The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing,” Cassidy wrote on X. “The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.”
Ricketts called the shooting “horrifying,” while reaffirming his support for funding ICE.
“Enforcing our immigration laws makes our streets safer,” he said. “But we must also maintain our core values as a nation, including the right to protest and assemble. I expect a prioritized, transparent investigation into this incident.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) went further, warning that ICE agents “do not have carte blanche” to use lethal force.
“Lawfully carrying a firearm does not justify federal agents killing an American,” she wrote, noting that video footage appears to show Pretti being disarmed moments before he was shot. “A comprehensive, independent investigation must be conducted to rebuild trust.”
Outside Washington, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) issued a blistering statement accusing federal authorities of either gross incompetence or deliberate intimidation.
“It is not acceptable for American citizens to be killed by federal agents for exercising their constitutional rights to protest,” Scott said. “At best, these operations are a failure of coordination, training, and leadership. At worst, they are deliberate incitement resulting in the murder of Americans. Enough is enough.”
President Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that his administration is “reviewing everything” about the shooting and will issue a formal determination.
“I don’t like any shooting. I don’t like it,” Trump said. “But I also don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest with a fully loaded gun and two magazines. That doesn’t play good either.”
Trump added that ICE would leave the Twin Cities “at some point,” to be replaced by another federal law enforcement group conducting a sweeping benefits fraud investigation centered on Minneapolis’ Somali community.
Administration officials quickly portrayed Pretti as the instigator, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claiming he charged at officers while armed.
But video footage of the incident complicates that narrative. The clips show multiple agents pinning Pretti to the ground after he stepped between officers and a woman who had been pepper-sprayed. One agent appears to remove Pretti’s 9mm handgun — which he was legally licensed to carry — moments before another officer opened fire.
The killing has exposed a growing rift inside the Republican Party between long-standing support for gun rights and the Trump administration’s hardline immigration enforcement posture.
“Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests,” the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said. “These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed.”
The National Rifle Association echoed that sentiment, urging restraint in public commentary.
“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the NRA said.
As protests continue and pressure mounts, Minneapolis has become the latest flashpoint in a national debate over immigration enforcement, gun rights, and the limits of federal power — with political, legal, and moral consequences still unfolding.
