A senior U.S. immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.
Greg Bovino, U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large, said: “Our Title 8 immigration mission continues, unabated here in Minneapolis despite yesterday’s tragedy that was preventable by folks making better choices; politicians, journalists, and would-be anarchists and rioters,”. The official spoke as part of a defence of operations by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol in Minnesota.
“Now enforcing the law is not a choice,” the official added, saying that officers “choose to be a Border Patrol agent” and ICE agents choose their roles, but enforcing laws enacted by Congress and upheld by the judiciary is a duty “whether that’s a Title 8 immigration law, whether that’s chasing a bank robber, or a spy or whatever else.”
The official also criticised politicians, community leaders and journalists who had “vilified law enforcement” in heated rhetoric, suggesting that such language contributed to recent confrontations. “When someone chooses to listen to that … there are consequences and actions there also – I think we saw that yesterday,” they said.
The comments come in the aftermath of heightened tension in Minneapolis over federal immigration enforcement. Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead on 24 January by a federal agent.Public outrage and protests swiftly followed. Local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have criticised the presence of ICE and other federal agents, demanding an end to the operation and greater transparency.
Labour leaders and unions have also weighed in, with calls for ICE to leave Minnesota and urging accountability following Pretti’s death.
State and federal officials have provided conflicting accounts of what happened.
The federal response has included legal moves to preserve evidence in the case, with a judge ordering the Department of Homeland Security to retain materials as investigations continue.
Federal authorities, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Homeland Security officials, have defended the actions of immigration agents and stressed that federal law enforcement has immunity when performing their duties. Local leaders, however, dispute federal narratives and have called for independent investigations into the use of force and broader enforcement tactics.
Georgia and Uzbekistan are aiming to nearly quadruple annual trade to $1 billion, up from $267.6 million in 2025, as the two countries seek to stre...
Iran has warned against the military use of Starlink, saying it has developed domestic technology capable of countering cyber threats linked to the...
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of blaming Kabul for its domestic political and security problems, as Islamabad repeated claims that militants are...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
An explosion and fire have been reported at a major underground gas pipeline in Russia’s Penza region on 13 October, according to UA News, as cited by Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. The reports have not been independently verified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined high school students protesting outside a school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Tuesday, as a wave of student demonstrations continues across France.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a newly opened defence museum displaying weapons developed under his leadership, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers are set to discuss measures to tackle transboundary haze during preparatory meetings ahead of the ASEAN summit in November, as forest and land fires in Indonesia continue to affect air quality across the region, the Philippines said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment