Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has said that federal immigration officers “do not have carte blanche” in carrying out their duties, following the fatal shooting of American citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Pretti, 37, was killed by Border Patrol agents on Saturday. Murkowski wrote on X that the shooting “should raise serious questions about the adequacy of immigration-enforcement training and the instructions officers receive on their mission.”
Video footage appears to show that Pretti, who was lawfully carrying a gun, had been disarmed by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer before he was shot. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti had a valid permit to carry a firearm. Murkowski emphasized that legally carrying a gun does not justify federal agents killing an American citizen.
The incident has drawn national attention, with protests and criticism aimed at the Trump administration’s deployment of CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to Democratic-run cities, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The killings of Pretti and Renee Good, another U.S. citizen shot by federal officers earlier this month, have intensified calls for accountability.
In response, Democratic senators have vowed to withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees CBP and ICE, raising the possibility of a partial government shutdown if funding is not approved by Saturday.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said that DHS has taken over the investigation into Pretti’s death, noting that “others outside of the state” prevented his bureau from participating. Evans stressed the importance of cooperation, saying, “We are all safer when we work together collectively.”
Murkowski, along with fellow GOP senators Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.), called for a “comprehensive, independent investigation” and urged Congress to hold hearings to provide proper oversight of federal immigration enforcement.
The controversy has reignited national debate over ICE and CBP practices, particularly regarding the use of force and accountability in domestic operations. Lawmakers from both parties are pressing for reforms and safeguards to prevent further incidents.
Murkowski’s statements highlight growing concern that federal immigration personnel may be operating without sufficient limits, and that independent review and transparency are critical to restoring public trust.