Pennsylvania’s U.S. senators, Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat John Fetterman, have spoken out over the killing of Alex Pretti, 37, by federal agents in Minneapolis. Both seem to be pushing slightly against their respective party lines.
Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse, was shot multiple times by immigration agents during a scuffle that erupted Saturday as he stepped between two women and an agent who was shoving them.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti, who had a pistol holstered in his waistband, “attacked” officers and “brandished” his weapon. But video footage appears to contradict that accusation, and does not show Pretti ever holding the firearm. He had a permit to carry the pistol legally.
The shooting took place just over two weeks after another ICE officer shot and killed Minnesota resident Renee Good.
Republican Sen. Dave McCormick issued a statement on Sunday calling for a “full investigation” into the shooting that killed Pretti.
“As I have often said, I support the Border Patrol, ICE, and the critical work they do to enforce our laws. Irresponsible rhetoric and a lack of cooperation from Minnesota’s politicians are fueling a dangerous situation,” he wrote on the social media platform X. “I also agree with the [National Rifle Association] and others — we need a full investigation into the tragedy in Minneapolis. We need all the facts. We must enforce our laws in a way that protects the public while maintaining its trust. This gives our law enforcement officers the best chance to succeed in their difficult mission.”
The National Rifle Association, which has long supported primarily conservative politicians, objected to administration officials’ claim that Pretti was an innate danger for carrying a gun, and also called for a “full investigation” into the shooting.
McCormick did not respond to questions from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star about who should lead the investigation.
Sen. John Fetterman, meanwhile, has been perhaps the staunchest supporter of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda among congressional Democrats.
While many in his party, including Democratic House members from Pennsylvania, were quick to criticize the shooting, Fetterman remained silent — until Monday.
“The operation in Minneapolis should stand down and immediately end. It has become an ungovernable and dangerous urban theatre for civilians and law enforcement that is incompatible with the American spirit,” Fetterman said in a statement. “As a very pro-immigration Democrat and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Management, I believe our nation deserves a secured border and that we should deport all criminal migrants. I also believe there needs to be a path to citizenship for those hardworking families who are here.”
Fetterman also rejected calls from members of his party to “abolish ICE” entirely. And he addressed a movement in his caucus to vote against a coming appropriations bill over DHS funding, a move that could lead to a partial government shutdown.
“I’ve also spent significant time hearing many different positions on the funding bills and maintain that I will never vote to shut our government down, especially our Defense Department,” Fetterman’s statement said. “A vote to shut our government down will not defund ICE. DHS has $178B in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which I did not vote for.”
Fetterman’s comments followed shortly after his wife, Gisele Fetterman, issued a statement of her own.
“For more than a decade, I lived undocumented in the US,” she wrote in her first post on the social media platform X in almost a year. “Every day carried the same uncertainty and fear lived in my body – a tight chest, shallow breaths, racing heart. What I thought was my private, chronic dread has now become a shared national wound. This now-daily violence is not “law and order.” It is terror inflicted on people who contribute, love and build their lives here. It’s devastatingly cruel and unAmerican.”
Pennsylvania’s Democratic U.S.House members have largely taken a harder tack. Even before Pretti was killed, all seven Democratic representatives voted against a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Those who spoke about their decisions cited concerns about a lack of oversight and accountability for the agency’s immigration enforcement officers. The bill passed the Republican-led chamber regardless.
Six of the Democrats — all but Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-06) — have co-sponsored articles of impeachment filed for Noem. Without Republican support, it’s unlikely to result in impeachment in the House or conviction in the Senate.
All ten of Pennsylvania’s Republican House members voted in favor of funding for DHS. A number have publicly supported ICE as well, even after the killing of Good in Minneapolis.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican who represents a swing district, has issued a statement calling for “a full and fair investigation” into Pretti’s shooting.
“Moving forward, oversight and cooperation need to be emphasized,” he wrote on X. But, Mackenzie did not lay the blame squarely on ICE. He also noted, “officials in Minneapolis and even here in our own community have fanned the flames of division and disrespect for law enforcement.”
As it stands, the Department of Homeland Security has said they are conducting their own investigation, which has raised concerns of a possible coverup among local elected leaders and investigators, as well as Democrats.
According to state officials, law enforcement were blocked from the scene when initially responding to the shooting, even after obtaining a warrant. The Hennepin County Attorney’s office and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have filed a lawsuit to prevent the destruction of evidence. It claims witnesses were arrested by federal agents and cell phones that may have been used to record the shooting were seized.
