Republican lawmakers urged a reset of Trump’s immigration crackdown after a pair of fatal shootings in Minneapolis intensified scrutiny of federal tactics and reshaped the politics of immigration inside the GOP. With midterm elections on the horizon and a deadline-driven funding fight this week, party leaders are navigating growing unease over heavy-handed enforcement while trying to keep their border-security message intact.
The backlash accelerated after the January 24, 2026 killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, just weeks after the earlier shooting death of Renée Good. Graphic videos from the scene contradicted initial official claims and prompted a chorus of Republicans to call for transparency and outside review. Some went further: Sen. Thom Tillis urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign, and lawmakers including Sen. Rand Paul pressed for immigration officials to testify publicly. Polling has added urgency, with a recent survey showing approval of Trump’s immigration handling falling and majorities saying agents have gone “too far.”
Inside the Capitol, the politics are colliding with the calendar. A DHS funding fight now looms as Senate Republican leaders signal they will reject a Democratic push to peel off Homeland Security money from a broader government spending package. While some Republicans demand a thorough investigation of the Minneapolis shootings, leadership is still moving to pass the full bill that bankrolls Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol — a calculation that risks further intraparty strain if public opinion continues to sour.
Amid the fallout, the White House dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota and began recalibrating tactics. This week, Homan said the administration would withdraw a portion of its surge force — 700 federal agents will be pulled back from Minnesota — while thousands remain in place and operations shift toward more targeted arrests. Officials cast the move as de-escalation, not a reversal, emphasizing a focus on detaining people with criminal records. Still, reports of aggressive encounters have continued to roil local communities, and Republicans from swing districts warn the party could squander what once was a political advantage if tactics appear indiscriminate.
The broader question now is whether Republicans can maintain a hard line on border security while distancing themselves from the most controversial methods. With committees preparing potential hearings, a volatile spending standoff underway, and Minneapolis still on edge, the GOP’s response in the coming days may determine whether this moment becomes a brief inflection point — or a defining issue of the 2026 campaign.