California Democrats Condemn Trump Administration Following Second Deadly Federal Shooting in Minneapolis
California Governor Gavin Newsom and a coalition of state Democratic leaders have issued strong condemnations of President Donald Trump and his administration after a second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis occurred this weekend. The shooting of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse and U.S. citizen, marks the second deadly incident involving federal immigration enforcement in the city this month, intensifying a standoff between state officials and the White House regarding federal policing powers.
Governor Newsom, joined by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and over 50 state lawmakers, called for immediate legislative action, urging congressional Democrats to block further funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and potentially force a government shutdown if federal agents are not withdrawn. Newsom described the administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” as a militarized occupation of American cities and explicitly called for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the termination of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino.
“This violence has to stop,” Newsom stated, demanding an end to what he termed “lawless mass deportation raids.” The Governor’s office also released a legal guide for residents interacting with federal agents, signaling a deepening rift between California’s state government and federal authorities.
conflicting Accounts and Federal Defense
The controversy centers on the circumstances of Pretti’s death. According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents fired defensively after Pretti approached them with a 9mm handgun. Federal officials and the Trump administration have characterized the deceased as a threat, with the President blaming “sanctuary laws” and Democratic leadership for creating an environment of lawlessness that endangers law enforcement.
However, these accounts face significant objections from local witnesses and video analysis cited by major news outlets. While Pretti reportedly possessed a valid permit to carry a firearm, video footage appears to show him holding a mobile phone rather than a weapon at the moment of the confrontation. Furthermore, reports indicate that agents had already secured the firearm while Pretti was pinned to the ground before shots were fired. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has also weighed in, calling the administration’s preliminary defense of the shooting “dangerous and wrong” given the legal status of the gun owner.
Background of Escalating Tensions
This incident follows the January 7 shooting of Renee Nicole Good, another 37-year-old U.S. citizen killed by federal agents in Minneapolis under similar disputed circumstances. The deployment of federal agents to cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Chicago is part of the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement initiative. In response to the growing unrest, the administration has reshuffled leadership, replacing operational commander Gregory Bovino with “Border Czar” Tom Homan to oversee the ongoing surge.
As protests erupt in Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Washington D.C., the political fallout threatens to derail federal spending negotiations. California representatives, including Senator Adam Schiff and Senator Alex Padilla, have vowed to oppose any DHS funding that does not include strict new guardrails on agent conduct, raising the likelihood of a partial government shutdown by the end of the week.
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