By Kehinde Adegoke | THE CHOSUNILBO
Minneapolis, U.S.: President Donald J. Trump has doubled down on his hardline immigration stance after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.
The incident has ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum, with growing calls to reassess America’s enforcement policies on illegal immigration.
Meanwhile, senior Trump administration officials insisted on the 25th, “Democrats are inciting agitation,” and maintained their ‘my way’ stance.
The incident mirrors the nationwide anti-racism protests that erupted after the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a white police officer during Trump’s first term.
The Trump administration continues to target Democratic local leaders, urging them to “stop foolish acts” and refusing to back down.
Amid threats of a federal government shutdown due to Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Trump posted a message on his social media platform,
“Truth Social,” on the 25th, emphasized the necessity of constructing a large reception hall at the White House. Targeting the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), which filed a lawsuit to block the project, he stated, “A significant amount of materials has already been ordered, and halting construction at this stage would be catastrophic for the White House, our country, and all stakeholders.”
On the 24th, the day Pretti died, the White House reportedly held a private screening of the documentary ‘Melania’ (MELANIA), focusing on First Lady Melania Trump.
Amazon MGM Studios, owned by Jeff Bezos, paid $40 million (approximately 58.2 billion Korean won) for distribution rights and plans to spend over $30 million more on promotion.
In this context, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and architect of Trump’s immigration policy, criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for invoking Anne Frank, a Holocaust victim, to express resistance, calling it an attempt to “incite attacks on ICE.”
JD Vance, the vice president, who recently visited Minneapolis, shared an anecdote about an ICE officer being “confined” in a restaurant while eating and local police refusing to respond to a rescue request.
He stated, “Local officials are refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement, creating chaos,” and urged, “Minneapolis authorities should stop this foolishness.” U.S.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on CBS on the same day, criticizing Pretti for bringing a semi-automatic weapon to a protest that “should have been peaceful,” despite expressing regret over his death.
Additionally, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, and others have issued statements via social media and media appearances.
The George Floyd incident during Trump’s first term is widely seen as a turning point that weakened his late-term governance, and a similar trauma appears to be influencing the administration’s current stance.
However, even within conservative circles, calls to lower enforcement intensity are emerging, leaving uncertainty over whether the Trump administration can sustain its hardline approach.
Conservative media veteran Bill O’Reilly remarked on the 25th, “The president never retreats, but there are times when adjusting direction is necessary,” citing “violence in Minneapolis and threats to occupy Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.” Some Republican lawmakers have also voiced concerns, stating, “This shocking incident has jeopardized the credibility of the Department of Homeland Security.”