U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be stepping back from the hard-line stance on suppressing protests and cracking down on undocumented immigrants that had been underway in Minnesota. After criticism and concern spread across party lines following the death of a U.S. citizen in a federal agent shooting, he is seen as moving to contain the fallout.
On the 26th, local time, President Trump said he would replace the on-site immigration enforcement lead and conduct a federal investigation into the fatal shooting. The move appears to be a response to a growing sense of crisis as anti-government protests show signs of spreading nationwide.
That day, Trump wrote on the social media (SNS) platform Truth Social, "Tonight I am dispatching Tom Homan to Minnesota," adding, "He has not been directly involved in this area, but he knows local figures well and will report to me directly." Trump also added, "Tom is tough but fair."
Homan, the White House "border czar," oversees border protection and immigration enforcement, core policy priorities of Trump's second-term administration. His dispatch is seen as a response to growing criticism of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino's violent enforcement methods in Minnesota.
Bovino was at the center of controversy after asserting the previous day, regarding the death of 37-year-old American nurse Alex Preti in a Border Patrol agent shooting in Minneapolis, that "the victims are not Preti but my agents." Citing sources, CNN reported that some agents, including Bovino, are set to leave Minnesota and return to their respective jurisdictions.
Replacing the on-site lead with a senior White House official is seen as an intention by the White House to directly control the situation and calm tensions.
Trump also said he spoke by phone with Democrat Tim Walz, who has strongly criticized federal immigration enforcement. He noted, "We had a very good call, and in fact we seemed to have similar views and thoughts," suggesting the possibility of cooperation.
Trump said, "I told Governor Walz that what we want is all the criminals in Minnesota," adding, "The governor understood this and was pleased that Homan is going to Minnesota. So am I."
In addition, the Trump administration has moved toward accepting an investigation into the federal agents involved in the fatal shooting. White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing that day, "President Trump said the investigation will continue and conclude based on the facts."
Leavitt said, "Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are currently investigating actively, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is also conducting an internal review," adding, "The president is responding very proactively to the investigation."
This appears to reflect the fact that while the Department of Homeland Security initially said "Preti approached Border Patrol agents while carrying a semiautomatic handgun," later-released footage showed scenes that appeared to show Preti being shot while already subdued, intensifying the controversy.
The replacement of the on-site lead, cooperation with the governor, and acceptance of an investigation into the shooting are seen as a significant retreat from Trump's previously hard-line approach to Minnesota. Late last year, Trump strongly backed tough immigration enforcement carried out alongside an investigation into alleged federal subsidies embezzlement and fraud in Minnesota.
He has criticized protests opposing immigration enforcement, saying Democratic figures such as Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were inciting organized demonstrators. But after the fatal shooting, former Democratic presidents called for "resistance," and concern about violent enforcement grew within the Republican Party, increasing the political burden.
In particular, with the midterm elections coming in Nov., Minnesota's rise as a "political flashpoint" has prompted analysis that Trump is moving to manage the situation. In a media interview the previous day, Trump also said regarding the fatal shooting, "We are looking into everything," and, without giving a specific timetable, suggested the possibility of withdrawing immigration enforcement agents.