Donald Trump's Minneapolis immigration crackdown just triggered the unthinkable.
One of his most loyal allies in Congress is pumping the brakes.
And a House Oversight Chair told Trump one thing about Minneapolis ICE that left the administration stunned.
Trump Loyalist Breaks Ranks After Second Fatal Shooting
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer did something Sunday morning that nobody saw coming from one of Trump's staunchest allies.
He told Fox News that President Trump should consider pulling ICE agents out of Minneapolis.
"If I were President Trump, I would almost think about, OK, if the mayor and the governor are going to put our ICE officials in harm's way and there's a chance of losing more innocent lives or whatever, then maybe go to another city," Comer said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures.
The Kentucky Republican's suggestion came just hours after Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a VA hospital, during protests against Trump's immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis.
Video footage reviewed by Reuters, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, and Associated Press showed approximately six federal agents surrounding Pretti when he was shot.
Multiple videos appear to show an agent removing Pretti's legally carried firearm from his waistband approximately one second before other agents opened fire.
This was the second American citizen shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month — ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7 after Good accelerated her vehicle toward him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told CBS News on Sunday that "people have had enough" and claimed federal agents are responsible for all three of the homicides in Minneapolis so far in 2026.
Comer Suggests Letting Minneapolis "Rebel Against Their Leadership"
Comer's statement represented a stunning departure from typical Republican solidarity with Trump's hardline immigration policies.
The Oversight Chair suggested Trump let Minneapolis residents "decide" whether they want federal immigration enforcement in their city.
"Let the people of Minneapolis decide, 'Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals? Are we going to allow our governor, attorney general and mayor to get away with this?'" Comer said.
"And I think the people of Minnesota would rebel against their leadership," he added.
A White House official quickly told reporters that despite Trump praising Comer's interview, "there will be no change in the Administration's immigration enforcement posture."
But the damage was done.
What makes Comer's statement so stunning is that he's been one of Trump's most reliable allies in Congress.
This isn't Lisa Murkowski or Susan Collins – the usual RINOs who criticize Trump every chance they get.
This is the chairman who led the charge investigating Hunter Biden and the Biden family corruption.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino formally requested testimony from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services leaders.
Even Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican who backed Trump's immigration agenda, told CNN's State of the Union the shooting was a "real tragedy" and questioned the strategy.
"What is the goal right now? Is it to deport every single non-U.S. citizen? I don't think that's what Americans want," Stitt said.
A better question perhaps is why have we only been seeing these one-off type raids under the Kristi Noem led operations.
If you want real numbers, wouldn’t a better strategy be raiding workplaces where large numbers of illegal aliens are utilized.
Instead, some critics on the right suggest it seems Noem’s team has been focused more on operations where there's likely to be viral public clashes with the anti-ICE activists tracking them.
That likely wouldn’t be the case at a workplace raid.
Administration Doubles Down Despite Videos Contradicting Official Claims
Trump administration officials went into full spin mode to defend the fatal shooting.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti "approached" officers with a gun, acted violently, and committed "domestic terrorism."
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino alleged Pretti arrived at the scene "to inflict maximum damage" and planned to "massacre" agents.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called Pretti an "assassin."
The problem is the video evidence tells a completely different story.
Multiple videos verified by major news organizations show Pretti filming federal agents with his cell phone and helping direct traffic.
When an agent pushed a female protester to the ground, Pretti moved between them and put his arm around the fallen woman as federal agents then began to pepper-spray Pretti.
They wrestled him to the ground with approximately six agents surrounding him when shots were fired.
At no point in any footage does Pretti appear to draw or brandish the 9mm handgun he was licensed to carry.
Minneapolis officials said Pretti had no criminal record beyond traffic tickets and was a lawful gun owner with a concealed carry permit.
Former law enforcement experts who reviewed the footage were equally blunt.
Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, said the video "raises a lot of questions" about why officers perceived a threat.
Criminologist Tod Burke questioned why lethal force was necessary after Pretti's firearm was removed, although many are now suggesting the ICE officer may have reacted to an “uncommanded discharge” of Pretti’s weapon after a second agent had removed it from Pretti.
GOP Faces Uncomfortable Questions About Core Values
The Minneapolis shootings created a political minefield for Republicans on multiple fronts.
The killing raised uncomfortable questions about GOP positions on gun ownership, states' rights, and trust in federal government.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent questioned why Pretti brought a gun to a protest, saying "I didn't bring a gun. I brought a billboard."
That comment was jarring coming from an administration where support for Second Amendment rights should be foundational.
Many Republicans, including Trump, had lifted Kyle Rittenhouse into prominence when the then-17-year-old shot three men, killing two, during a 2020 protest in Wisconsin while carrying an AR-15-style rifle.
The GOP's traditional skepticism of federal overreach and support for states' rights also clashed with defending Trump's massive federal surge into a Democrat-controlled city.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the shooting on NBC's Meet the Press, saying "this was an incredibly split-second decision that had to be made by ICE officers."
Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that his administration was "reviewing everything" about the shooting, and will "come out with a determination."
The president's measured response stood in stark contrast to his top officials rushing to label Pretti a "domestic terrorist" and "assassin" within hours of the shooting.
Trump said federal agents will leave Minneapolis "at some point" but provided no timeline.
The backlash is already hurting Trump politically where it matters most.
Just 38% of Americans approved of Trump's handling of immigration in January, down from 49% in March, according to an AP-NORC poll.
The Minneapolis operations have galvanized Democratic opposition and fractured Republican unity at a critical moment heading into midterm elections.
Senate Democrats are threatening to block government funding over the DHS budget that includes ICE funding.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would oppose a funding bill allocating over $64 billion to DHS.
When even James Comer suggests pulling back from Minneapolis, Trump knows he has a serious problem on his hands.
The Kentucky Republican has been one of Trump's most reliable attack dogs in Congress.
Comer spent the last two years leading investigations into Hunter Biden and the Biden family.
He's not some Never-Trump RINO like Murkowski or Collins who criticize Trump as a reflex.
For Comer to publicly suggest Trump reconsider his Minneapolis strategy signals the political damage is spreading into Trump's core coalition.
Border Czar Tom Homan is traveling to Minnesota Monday in what appears to be a damage control mission.
Trump claimed he and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz had "a very good call" and are on "a similar wavelength" about next steps.
Sources:
- Associated Press, "Republican calls are growing for a deeper investigation into fatal Minneapolis shooting," January 26, 2026.
- CBS News, "Some Border Patrol agents in Alex Pretti shooting had body cams," January 26, 2026.
- CNN, "Trump administration redoubles immigration enforcement strategy as cracks emerge," January 25, 2026.
- Fox News, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, January 25, 2026.
- NPR, "5 things to know about the latest Minneapolis shooting," January 25, 2026.
- NOTUS, "House Oversight Chair Suggests Trump Pull ICE Out of Minnesota," January 25, 2026.
- TIME Magazine, "Republicans Break With Trump Over Fatal Minneapolis Shooting," January 26, 2026.
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