(AFP) – Donald Trump is likely facing the second government shutdown of his presidency after a fatal shooting by US immigration agents detonated a fragile budget truce in Congress and unified Democrats against funding his hardline immigration crackdown. Until the weekend, the president and Republican leaders appeared close to averting a lapse in funding at the end of the week. The House of Representatives had passed the remaining funding bills for fiscal year 2026, and Senate Republicans were quietly confident they could secure enough Democratic votes to push the package through before Friday night’s deadline.
That calculation collapsed after Saturday’s killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, during a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis — the second fatal shooting by immigration officers in the city this month. His death has become a political flashpoint in Trump’s immigration crackdown, triggering an unusually broad backlash that now threatens to shut down large parts of the federal government. Numerous departments would be affected, including defense, health, labor, transportation, housing, and, crucially, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Democrats say they will no longer provide the votes needed to advance the six-bill funding package if it includes DHS money without new guardrails on immigration enforcement. “This brutal crackdown has to end. I cannot and will not vote to fund DHS while this administration continues these violent federal takeovers of our cities,” Democratic Virginia Senator Mark Warner said on X. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer formalized the Democratic position Saturday, saying his party would block the funding package if it includes the DHS bill, which he described as “woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of (ICE).”
– ‘Uncharted territory’ –
The White House and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have portrayed Pretti’s killing as an act of self-defense, initially claiming — against all evidence — that he approached agents brandishing a handgun, intent on a “massacre.” Multiple witness videos contradict that account, appearing to show Pretti holding a phone while recording, rushing to help a civilian who was shoved to the ground, and being sprayed with chemical irritant before being dragged to his knees, beaten, disarmed, and then shot dead. Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, local law enforcement and his family said.
For Trump, the standoff risks reviving memories of last year’s record-length shutdown — which disrupted travel, delayed paychecks, and bruised the administration politically — and underscores how his aggressive immigration push is colliding with the basic mechanics of keeping the government open. The Republican leader struck a conflicted tone when asked about the incident, saying, “I don’t like any shooting,” while also criticizing armed protesters. He said Monday he was sending his point man for border security to Minneapolis, which is around 300 miles (480 kilometers) from the US-Canada frontier and 1,400 miles from Mexico.
But state and city leaders have demanded the immediate withdrawal of federal officers and an independent investigation, saying Minnesota authorities have been excluded from the probe. “We’re in uncharted territory here,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said. The fallout has rattled Republicans as well. The party’s House lawmakers have asked for testimony from immigration agency heads and for a federal withdrawal from Minneapolis, while several senators — including longtime Trump allies — have called for investigations, in an unusual break with the administration. Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy called Pretti’s shooting “incredibly disturbing,” warning that “the credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake,” while Pete Ricketts of Nebraska urged a “prioritized, transparent investigation.”
Despite the growing unease, Republican leaders are pressing ahead with the funding package as written. Separating the DHS bill — Democrats’ preferred off-ramp — would require new votes in the House, which is out of Washington this week, making a temporary shutdown look highly likely.
– Frankie TAGGART
© 2024 AFP
