White House blames Democrats for fatal ICE shooting, demands Minnesota turn over illegal immigrants

The White House on Monday pointedly blamed Minnesota lawmakers for the fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis by federal agents, saying they have encouraged “left-wing agitators to stalk and confront” agents carrying out immigration raids.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called out Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, both Democrats, saying their rhetoric has “shamefully” blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from carrying out federal law.

“They have also used their platforms to encourage left-wing agitators to stalk and record, confront and obstruct federal officers who were just trying to lawfully perform their duties, which has created dangerous situations threatening both these officers and the general public and Minnesotans alike,” Ms. Leavitt said. “This is precisely what unfolded in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.”

Ms. Leavitt said three separate federal investigations are underway after the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis ICU nurse who was killed during a protest Saturday.

Mr. Pretti was protesting ICE activity in the city at the time of his killing by federal officials who say he was carrying a gun. But he was licensed to have one, and there appears to be no evidence that he pulled it on ICE agents.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating the incident, while Customs and Border Patrol is conducting an internal review.

“The administration is reviewing everything with respect to the shooting, and we will let that investigation play out,” Ms. Leavitt said.

In addition, the White House called on Mr. Walz and Mr. Frey to immediately turn over all illegal immigrants who are currently incarcerated in jails and prisons, in local police custody or have active warrants against them.

“If Governor Walz and Mayor Frey implement these common-sense cooperative measures that, I will add, have already been implemented in nearly every single state across the country, Customs and Border Patrol will not be needed to support ICE on the ground in Minnesota,” she said.

Ms. Leavitt went on to highlight cases in which Americans had been killed by illegal immigrants, saying Democrats didn’t express the same outrage they are showing over ICE activity.