Several Texas lawmakers are responding to the fatal shooting of an American citizen by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, with a small number of Republicans joining Democrats in calling for investigations.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was one of the First Texas Republicans to publicly call for an investigation following the killing of Alex Pretti, an ICE nurse who Border Patrol agents fatally shot during a confrontation with protesters.
"There needs to be an investigation," Cruz said on his podcast Verdict, calling the killing a tragedy and urging both sides to "ratchet the anger down."
Sen. Cruz noted that Pretti is the second U.S. citizen killed by federal law enforcement this year and said both incidents appeared to involve individuals who were "not violent criminals."
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul echoed Cruz's sentiments in a statement posted to X, writing that he was "troubled by the events" and believed a "thorough investigation is necessary" to maintain public confidence in the justice system.
McCaul further commented that he expects to hear from the Department of Homeland Security officials about the incident and how further escalation can be prevented.
However, some Texas Republicans remain divided. Rep. Chip Roy argued immigration officers should remain in Minnesota, while Rep. Wesley Hunt accused Democrats of fueling violence.
"If the President of the United States caves to Democrat pressure and anti-law enforcement tantrums, then we've abandoned sovereignty altogether," Rep. Hunt wrote on social media.
Gov. Greg Abbott called for respect for law enforcement but urged the White House to "recalibrate" its response.
"In general, we need to have respect for law enforcement officers in the country," said Abbott to conservative radio host Mark Davis. "ICE, they are law enforcement officers. And so they, being the White House, need to recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure respect is going to be re-instilled."
The responses come amid a shooting in Minneapolis where U.S. citizen Alex Pretti approached law enforcement holding only a phone. While he had a concealed firearm, video appears to show agents disarming him before he was shot multiple times.
The killing follows a January shooting in which an ICE agent killed Renee Good, another U.S. citizen, during a separate confrontation. Both deaths have fueled protests and heightened tensions as immigration personnel have been deployed to Minneapolis.
