The White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, acknowledged on Tuesday that border agents involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti may not have adhered to established protocols. Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed during a confrontation with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Minnesota on January 24, 2023. This admission follows significant bipartisan backlash over the incident.
Miller stated that the White House had provided explicit instructions to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the use of additional personnel sent to Minnesota for force protection. He emphasized that these agents were meant to conduct fugitive operations and establish a barrier between arrest teams and protestors. “We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,” Miller explained in a statement to The Post.
The shooting has raised serious concerns, as it marked the second fatal incident involving anti-immigration enforcement protesters in Minnesota within a span of 17 days. According to an initial review by the DHS, Pretti was carrying a loaded Sig Sauer pistol and, along with an unidentified woman, failed to comply with multiple requests to vacate the street. During attempts to apprehend him, Pretti reportedly resisted arrest, which resulted in a struggle that escalated quickly.
As the confrontation intensified, a Border Patrol agent shouted, “He’s got a gun!” before multiple shots were fired. Reports indicate that at least ten shots were discharged, although it remains unclear whether Pretti’s gun misfired during the altercation. Eyewitness video footage captured the chaotic scene, contributing to ongoing public scrutiny of the incident.
Miller’s previous characterization of Pretti as an “assassin” and “domestic terrorist” has also come under fire. On Tuesday, he attempted to clarify those remarks, asserting they were based on initial reports from CBP personnel on the ground. Additionally, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had claimed that Pretti “arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and kill law enforcement.”
This case underscores the complex and often dangerous interactions between law enforcement and protestors in the context of immigration enforcement. As investigations continue, the implications of the shooting and the responses from officials will likely shape ongoing debates about border security and protest rights in the United States.
