The White House on Monday reiterated President Donald Trump’s stated goal of preventing violence on U.S. streets while also signalling no retreat from a campaign to deport what the administration called "violent criminal illegal aliens" in Minnesota.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed reporters following the killing on Saturday of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers, a shooting that has prompted public outrage. The incident marks the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minnesota this month.
"Let’s be clear about the circumstances which led to that moment on Saturday. This tragedy occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota for weeks," Leavitt said in her briefing.
Video from the scene contradicts the Trump administration’s initial account that immigration agents fired in self-defense after Pretti allegedly approached them with a handgun. The footage instead shows Pretti holding a phone rather than a gun as agents wrestle him to the ground. It also shows officers removing a firearm stored near his waistband after he had been subdued, moments before he was fatally shot. Pretti was a licensed gun owner.
Leavitt said the president "will never back down from his promise to deport violent criminal illegal aliens and make America safe again, and he welcomes all cooperation in that effort." She also urged Minnesota political leaders to turn over illegal immigrants held in local jails to federal authorities, as well as any individuals described by the administration as having active warrants or known criminal histories, for immediate deportation.
Democratic leaders in Minnesota have strongly opposed the federal surge of immigration agents, characterizing the deployment as a lawless invasion that endangers public safety. The dispute has fuelled large-scale street protests in the state, held in below-freezing temperatures, reflecting deep community resistance to the federal action.
In addition to calling for transfers of detained immigrants to federal custody, Leavitt said the administration wants Congress to act swiftly to end policies that some cities maintain which provide sanctuary to undocumented border crossers.
The events and official responses have heightened tensions between federal authorities and local officials in Minnesota, while the release of video footage has complicated the administration's account of the shooting. The federal push to remove certain undocumented immigrants and the demand for legislative changes over sanctuary policies remain central elements of the White House's position.
Summary
The White House defended continued deportation actions in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal officers. Video from the scene has raised questions about the circumstances of the shooting, and Minnesota officials and residents have protested the presence of immigration agents.