Photo placed at the Alex Pretti Memorial on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pretti, an ICU nurse at a Virginia state medical center, died Jan. 24 after being shot multiple times during a brief altercation with Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)
U.S. senators from Pennsylvania, Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat John Fetterman, spoke out about the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Both seem to be pushing slightly against their party’s lines.
Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse, was shot multiple times by immigration agents during a fight that broke out Saturday when he stood between two women and an agent who was pushing them.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Pretti, who had a gun in a holster in his waistband, “attacked” officers and “brandished” the weapon. However, the video footage appears to contradict these accusations and does not show Pretti ever holding a firearm. He was allowed to legally carry a pistol.
The shooting occurred just over two weeks after another ICE officer shot and killed Minnesota resident Renee Good.
Republican Sen. Dave McCormick issued a statement Sunday calling for a “full investigation” into the shooting that killed Pretti.
“As I have often said, I support the Border Patrol, ICE and the critical work they do to enforce our laws. The irresponsible rhetoric and lack of cooperation from Minnesota politicians are fueling a dangerous situation,” X wrote on the social media platform. “I also agree with [National Rifle Association] and others – we need a full investigation into the tragedy in Minneapolis. We need all the facts. We must enforce our laws in a way that protects the public while maintaining their trust. This gives our law enforcement officers the best chance of successfully completing their tough mission.”
The National Rifle Association, which has long supported mostly conservative politicians, disputed administration officials’ claims that Pretti posed an inherent threat because he carried the gun and also called for a “full investigation” into the shooting.
McCormick did not respond to questions from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star about who should lead the investigation.
Meanwhile, Sen. John Fetterman has been perhaps the most staunch supporter of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement program among congressional Democrats.
While many in his party, including Democratic House members from Pennsylvania, were quick to criticize the shooting, Fetterman remained hushed — until Monday.
“The operation in Minneapolis should be halted and ended immediately. It has become an uncontrolled and dangerous urban theater for civilians and law enforcement, which is inconsistent with the American spirit,” Fetterman said in a statement. “As a very pro-immigration Democrat and an important member of the Border Management Subcommittee, I believe that our nation deserves a secure border and that we should deport all criminal migrants. I also believe that there must be a path to citizenship for these hard-working families who are here.”
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Fetterman also rejected calls from members of his party to “abolish ICE altogether.” He also made a move in his caucus to vote against a future appropriations bill regarding DHS funding, which could lead to a partial government shutdown.
“I have also spent a lot of time listening to many different positions on the funding bill and maintain that I will never vote to shut down our government, especially our Department of Defense,” Fetterman said in a statement. “Voting to shut down our government will not defund ICE. DHS has $178 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which I did not vote for.”
Fetterman’s comments came shortly after his wife Gisele Fetterman released her own statement.
“I lived in the US without documents for over a decade,” she wrote in her first post on the X social media platform in almost a year. “Every day carried the same uncertainty and fear in my body – the tightness in my chest, the shallow breathing, the pounding of my heart. What I thought was my private, chronic fear was now a shared national wound. This daily violence is not ‘law and order’. It is terror inflicted on people who contribute, love and build their lives here. It is devastatingly cruel and un-American.”
Members of the USHouse Democratic Party in Pennsylvania have largely adopted a tougher tack. Even before Pretti’s death, all seven Democratic representatives voted against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Those who spoke about their decisions cited concerns about the lack of oversight and accountability of immigration enforcement agency officers. Still, the bill passed the Republican-led chamber.
Six Democrats – all but Republican Chrissy Houlahan (D-06) – co-authored the articles of impeachment against Noem. Without Republican support, it is unlikely to lead to impeachment in the House or conviction in the Senate.
All ten Republican House members in Pennsylvania voted to fund DHS. AND number To have publicly maintained ICE also after Good was killed in Minneapolis.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican representing a swing district, issued a statement calling for a “full and fair investigation” into Pretti’s shooting.
“Moving forward, the emphasis must be on oversight and cooperation,” he wrote in X. But Mackenzie did not place the blame squarely on ICE. He also noted: “officials in Minneapolis and even here in our community have fanned the flames of division and disrespect for law enforcement.”
At this stage, the Department of Homeland Security has said it is conducting its own investigation, which has raised concerns about a possible cover-up among local elected leaders and investigators, as well as Democrats.
According to state officials, law enforcement was blocked from the scene as they initially responded to the shooting, even after obtaining a warrant. Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension filed a lawsuit to prevent the destruction of evidence. He says federal agents arrested witnesses and cellphones that may have been used to record the shooting were confiscated.
