WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has called for an immediate halt to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents last Saturday. This statement marks a notable shift for the Senator, who has typically stood in support of immigration enforcement.
Fetterman’s demand comes in response to what he described as a dangerous and chaotic situation in Minneapolis, which he believes is at odds with American values. The situation, as portrayed by the Senator, has escalated to a point where the safety of both civilians and law enforcement is at risk.
The Pennsylvania Senator, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Management, has been a pro-immigration advocate within his party, supporting border security measures while also championing pathways to citizenship for contributing immigrant families. Fetterman's stance diverges from many Democratic colleagues who advocate for the defunding of ICE, a position he has explicitly rejected.
The controversy has personal implications for Fetterman, whose wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman has been openly critical of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Gisele, who spent over a decade as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S., took to social media condemning the enforcement operations as instilling fear rather than maintaining law and order.
The incident that spurred Fetterman's call to action involved the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was filming federal officers when he was killed by Border Patrol agents. While federal officials maintain that Pretti was armed and resisted disarmament, witness accounts have challenged the perceived threat he posed.
President Donald Trump has indicated that his administration is conducting a comprehensive review of the incident, as reported by Fox News. Meanwhile, critics of the administration, including former President Bill Clinton, have decried the event as a tragic and preventable occurrence.
Senator Fetterman also expressed his condolences to the families of Pretti and Renee Good, another individual recently killed in an ICE-related shooting, asserting that both should still be alive today. In terms of fiscal policy, Fetterman remains against government shutdowns and believes defunding ICE via such means would prove futile, given the substantial funding the Department of Homeland Security receives, as evidenced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Fetterman has advocated for reforming the DHS appropriations bill and has suggested separating it from the minibus spending package to facilitate focused discussions, though he recognizes the potential risk of a government shutdown.
The Trump administration has responded to these developments by dispatching White House border czar Tom Homan to oversee ICE operations in Minnesota. Homan is tasked with managing on-the-ground operations and coordinating fraud investigations, reporting directly to President Trump.
