President Donald Trump doubled down on his immigration crackdown Sunday night as anger spread nationwide over the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a federal immigration officer, rejecting calls for restraint and placing responsibility squarely on Democratic leaders.
The killing sparked a massive public backlash and prompted some Republicans to voice discomfort with the administration’s tactics, yet Trump used a pair of extended social media posts to accuse Democrats of fostering disorder and interfering with law enforcement. He urged Minnesota officials to cooperate with federal immigration agents and to “turn over” people in the country illegally.
“Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media network.
READ ALSO: ICE operations trigger legal wrangling and public confrontations in Minnesota
The president’s stance came as scrutiny intensified over his promise to carry out what he has described as the largest deportation operation in US history and his decision to send immigration officers into largely Democratic cities. While a number of Republicans called for a fuller accounting of what happened in Minneapolis, Trump showed no sign of retreat.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Trump said his administration was examining the incident but declined to say whether the officer involved acted properly.
“We’re looking, we’re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination,” Trump said.
The White House did not respond to questions about whether Trump had viewed videos of the shooting that appeared to conflict with the administration’s description of events. Officials also declined to say whether the president planned to speak with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat who had urged Trump to help calm tensions in the city, the AP reported.
Rather than signaling outreach, Trump said Sunday night that he would press Congress to pass legislation banning so called sanctuary cities. His administration has applied that label to jurisdictions based on how closely they work with federal immigration enforcement, among other criteria.
The renewed push for legislation comes as outrage over the shooting has heightened the risk of a partial government shutdown within days, amid a standoff in Congress over additional funding for immigration enforcement.
Trump first addressed the shooting hours after it occurred on Saturday. In an early Truth Social post, he questioned why the victim, 37 year old Alex Pretti, was armed and accused Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of fueling “Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric.”
Despite the gravity of the incident, Trump spent much of the weekend out of public view and did not express condolences or public concern over Pretti’s death. Instead, his social media activity focused on unrelated issues, including complaints about Canada and criticism of a lawsuit blocking plans for a large ballroom at the White House, which he described as “devastating to the White House, our Country, and all concerned.”
He also posted praise for UK troops after earlier remarks had drawn backlash and shared favorable commentary about guests appearing on Fox News Channel.
READ ALSO: ICE crackdown forces Minnesota patients to risk health at home
As criticism mounted, Trump returned to the issue Sunday night without softening his tone. He called on Walz and Frey to hand over for deportation anyone in the country illegally who was being held in state prisons or local jails, as well as individuals with outstanding warrants or criminal records.
In his Wall Street Journal interview, Trump again focused on Pretti’s decision to carry a weapon.
“I don’t like any shooting. I don’t like it,” Trump said. “But I don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he’s got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also. That doesn’t play good either.”
Trump said immigration officers would eventually leave Minneapolis but offered no timeline.
Administration officials were more forceful in their response, characterizing the shooting as the result of an armed individual provoking federal agents. It was the second killing of a US citizen in Minneapolis involving immigration officers in recent weeks.
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller asserted on social media, without presenting evidence, that Pretti was “an assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.”
Vice President JD Vance reposted Miller’s claim and issued additional statements blaming local leaders, describing events in Minneapolis as “engineered chaos” and “the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities.”
READ ALSO: Trump raises Insurrection Act threat as Minneapolis protests intensify
