Trump Administration Faces Growing Backlash After Minneapolis Shooting as Immigration Agents Placed on Leave
Trump has increased tensions through his continued attacks against Minnesota and his particular focus on Somali American leaders like Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
The Trump administration has encountered increasing opposition as a result of the Minneapolis shooting that resulted in a civilian death because officials confirmed that two immigration officers who participated in the shooting were given administrative leave by the government. The government declared that its decision to execute standard procedures which required the suspension of the agents happened during a time of severe political discord and widening conflicts between federal officials and city leaders in Minneapolis.
The agents have been on leave since Saturday, when Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot multiple times after being forced to the ground during an encounter with camouflaged federal officers. The event which became a public spectacle through its partial video documentation has created bipartisan outrage while people demand that the government explain its harsh border control measures which it uses against undocumented immigrants.
President Donald Trump who earlier in the week suggested he wanted to ease tensions in Minneapolis now uses his Wednesday remarks to attack Mayor Jacob Frey. Trump accused the mayor of “playing with fire” for declining to deploy local police officers to assist federal agents in enforcing the administration’s immigration crackdown. Frey responded to the accusation with strong denial by stating that local police must protect people above everything else.
“The job of our police is to keep people safe, not to enforce federal immigration laws,” Frey said in a post on X. He explained that police should focus their efforts on stopping violent crime instead of targeting people who belong to working-class families. His remarks referenced the detention of an Ecuadorian father and his five-year-old son, who were taken into custody by federal agents in Minneapolis and later transferred to a detention facility in Texas.
The White House ceased its defense of Pretti’s shooting after public outrage forced officials to change their defense strategy. Trump organized a leadership reshuffle of immigration operations in Minneapolis to decrease public discontent against his administration. Tom Homan who operates at a higher administrative level than Greg Bovino who conducted aggressive public enforcement operations took over the role of leadership for immigration activities in Minneapolis.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also traveled to Minneapolis on Wednesday, where she announced the arrest of 16 individuals accused of assaulting federal officers during recent protests. The administration maintains that its operations are aimed at dangerous criminals, but critics argue that the use of masked and heavily armed agents has terrorized communities and escalated tensions.
The public outrage grew stronger when federal immigration officers killed two Minneapolis protesters during separate incidents which resulted in deaths for both Alex Pretti and Renee Good who were citizens of the United States. The video evidence showed that Pretti had been shot while he lay pinned to the ground so Stephen Miller who works as one of Trump’s advisors had earlier called Pretti a danger to the public. Miller came to realize that the agents who operated during the situation failed to implement their established procedures.
Federal agents and demonstrators have had increasing confrontations throughout Democratic-controlled cities which have turned into a common occurrence. Minneapolis residents say Trump’s promise to de-escalate has not translated into real change on the ground.
National Democrats have warned that they will use funding blockades against federal agencies to force governmental reforms which have become necessary to end the ongoing crisis. Trump has increased tensions through his continued attacks against Minnesota and his particular focus on Somali-American leaders like Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
A man sprayed Omar with an unknown substance during her public appearance this week which resulted in security subduing the man. She later blamed the hostile political climate fostered by Trump’s rhetoric, saying it has placed her personal safety at risk. Omar stated that intimidation would not silence her despite the incident because she would continue her work.
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