In the aftermath of the murder Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman calls President Donald Trump fire the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
At a news conference Saturday after the shooting, Noem accused Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, of being a domestic terrorist.
Without evidence, Noem said: “Violence against the government for ideological reasons and for reasons to resist and perpetuate violence. That is the definition of domestic terrorism. He was there to perpetuate violence, and the governor asked him to show up and continue to resist a governor who is irresponsible and has a long history of corruption and lies, and we will no longer tolerate that.”
The White House deputy chief of staff also echoed these comments Stephen Miller.
“A domestic terrorist tried to assassinate federal law enforcement and this is your response? You and the entire state Democratic leadership team are fanning the flames of insurrection for one purpose: to stop the deportation of illegal immigrants who have invaded the country,” Miller said in response to Minnesota His. Amy Klobuchar statement, calling on ICE to leave Minnesota.
Fetterman waited more than 48 hours before making any public response, saying “the operation in Minneapolis should be halted and ended immediately. It has become an uncontrolled and dangerous urban theater for civilians and law enforcement, consistent with the American spirit.”
“I reject calls to defund or abolish ICE,” he continued. “I strongly disagree with many of the policies and practices ICE has implemented in Minneapolis and believe this must change.”
Less than 24 hours later, the Commonwealth’s senior senator called for Noem to resign.
Interestingly, Fetterman’s wife, Giseleshe posted on social media ahead of her husband, writing: “I lived undocumented in the U.S. for over a decade. Every day I carried the same uncertainty and fear that lived 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.’ This is terror inflicted on people who contribute, love and build their lives here. This is devastatingly cruel and un-American 💔.”
Republican from Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick he posted on social media his support for the Border Patrol, as well as ICE “for the critical work they do to enforce our laws.” But he also called for “a full investigation into the tragedy in Minneapolis. We need all the facts.”
Six Pennsylvania Democratic congressional representatives signed a resolution calling for Noem’s impeachment.
Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-02), Dwight Evans (D-03), Madeleine Dean (D-04), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-05), Summer Lee (D-12) i Chris Deluzio (D-17) are co-sponsors H.Res. 996 it calls for Noem to be impeached “for high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Noem characterized the event as a “violent riot” and said the border patrol officer who fired the fatal shots feared for his life and that of his colleagues, a benchmark for the justifiable exploit of deadly force by a law enforcement officer.
“I don’t know of any peaceful protester who would show up with a gun and ammunition instead of a sign. It’s a violent riot when someone shows up with a gun,” Noem said.
So far, the White House has publicly supported Noem, along with a spokesman Caroline Leavitt saying he had the “utmost confidence of the President of the United States.” But he decided to send a border tsar Tomek Homan to oversee ICE operations in Minneapolis, suggesting changes may be on the way.
Homan is currently the “main point of contact” for the operation, replacing the commander of the Border Guard Grzegorz Bovino who is being relocated from Minneapolis.
