NC’s Ted Budd joins Thom Tillis in call for investigation of Minneapolis killing
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- Sen. Ted Budd urged an investigation into ICE’s killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
- Budd and Sen. Thom Tillis criticized administration’s rush to judgment.
- Democrats have called for removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina called for an investigation into the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, saying his death was “a tragedy that should never have happened.”
In a lengthy statement released Tuesday, Budd, a Republican, reiterated his support for President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement push and blamed Minnesota leaders, but said that “recent events” had led to “an erosion of trust in federal immigration officials growing among too many Americans.”
Budd joins North Carolina’s other U.S. senator, Thom Tillis, in calling for an investigation into the shooting.
“There must be a thorough and impartial investigation into yesterday’s Minneapolis shooting, which is the basic standard that law enforcement and the American people expect following any officer-involved shooting,” Tillis said on social media Sunday.
And speaking to reporters, Tillis, a Republican who is not running for reelection, blasted the “incompetence” of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials.
“I think that what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,” he said of Noem in comments captured on video and posted to social media by several media outlets. “It’s just amateurish. It’s making the president look bad on policies that he won on.”
Pretti is the second person to be killed on camera by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis this month.
On Jan. 7, a federal agent fatally shot Renee Good at least three times while she was driving.
In both cases, officials in the Trump administration rushed to characterize the victims as “domestic terrorists” and claimed they had intended harm to federal agents.
Video evidence from bystanders, which has been analyzed by The New York Times, has contradicted these claims.
Both victims were unarmed at the time they were shot, with video evidence showing agents confiscating Pretti’s legal handgun before he was shot 10 times.
Tillis and Budd both appeared to push back on the administration’s rhetoric.
“Initial rushes to judgment did not meet the standard that Americans should expect from their government officials,” Budd wrote.
And speaking in stronger terms, Tillis said: “Any administration official who rushes to judgment and tries to shut down an investigation before it begins are doing an incredible disservice to the nation and to President Trump’s legacy.”
Budd also blamed Minnesota leaders for their immigration policies, as well as “agitators flooding Minneapolis to harass, provoke and endanger law enforcement simply carrying out the immigration laws of the United States — laws once supported and enforced by both political parties.”
Other Republican members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation who have signaled support for some level of investigation include Rep. Chuck Edwards of Flat Rock.
Democrats have expressed horror at the killings, with Rep. Deborah Ross of Raleigh calling for the resignation or removal of Noem.
“Two American citizens have been shot and killed in cold blood,” Ross said on social media. “Families across the country, including in our state, have been terrorized by DHS agents. It’s time for her to go.”
On Tuesday morning, The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer reached out to North Carolina’s members of Congress who haven’t spoken publicly on Pretti’s killing. Most did not respond Tuesday, but Rep. Tim Moore’s office said the Kings Mountain Republican wants Congress to question DHS officials, including those with Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“Congressman Moore fully supports the men and women of DHS and CBP who put their lives on the line to keep our country safe,” his office said. “In the interest of full accountability and transparency, Congressman Moore also supports the House Homeland Security Committee’s request to bring ICE, CBP, and USCIS leadership before Congress to examine current protocols to ensure both officer safety and public trust.”
Mary Ramsey of the Charlotte Observer contributed.
This story was originally published January 27, 2026 at 5:53 PM.
