Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is calling for a "thorough and impartial investigation" into the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal U.S. Border Patrol agents this weekend, putting him among a small number of Republican lawmakers publicly questioning the Trump administration's response.
The administration has drawn criticism after top officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior Trump advisor Stephen Miller, labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist" hours after the shooting and asserted he sought to kill federal agents without releasing evidence to support those claims. In a statement, Tillis said rushing to judgment undermines public trust and law-enforcement standards.
"There must be a thorough and impartial investigation into yesterday's Minneapolis shooting, which is the basic standard that law enforcement and the American people expect following any officer-involved shooting," Tillis posted on X. "Any administration official who rushes to judgment and tries to shut down an investigation before it begins are doing an incredible disservice to the nation and to President Trump's legacy."
Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents western North Carolina, echoed calls for scrutiny, saying he supports testimony from leaders of ICE, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before Congress. Edwards said law enforcement officers deserve due process and the public deserves accountability.
"That is why, as a separate but coequal branch of government, I fully support the formally requested testimony from ICE, CBP, & USCIS leaders at a full Homeland Security Committee hearing," Edwards posted to X.
Other North Carolina Republicans in Congress have largely remained silent. Rep. Mark Harris, a Republican from the state's 8th District, shared President Trump's statement on the shooting on social media without comment.
North Carolina Democrats have issued sharper rebukes. Rep. Deborah Ross said she does not want "heavily-armed men who act in our name, with our tax dollars, to bully and kill with impunity." Rep. Valerie Foushee said she was "horrified and disgusted" by Pretti's killing, and said agents had "murdered yet another person in Minnesota."
Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat seeking reelection in the state's newly redrawn and more competitive 1st District, also called for a "thorough, independent investigation" while expressing general support for immigration enforcement.
"Our immigration laws can and must be enforced with respect for life and dignity," Davis posted on X, adding that the Trump Administration should take "immediate and decisive action to bring an end to this violence and disorder that have taken lives and undermined public trust."
