Trump, Walz have ‘productive call’ over ICE operations in Minnesota

What's next for ICE in Minnesota?

David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University, explains what's next for ICE operations in Minnesota as legal battles over immigration enforcement in the state and preserving evidence in the Alex Pretti shooting continue. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - President Donald Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke on the phone Monday morning in the aftermath of Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting in south Minneapolis by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday, and both sides say the conversation was productive.

Gov. Walz calls President Trump

What we know:

Gov. Walz called President Trump with the request to work together with respect to the ongoing situation in Minnesota involving ICE operations and tensions with anti-ICE protesters. Pretti was fatally shot by Border Patrol Saturday morning in south Minneapolis during a federal immigration enforcement operation on Eat Street.

It’s the third shooting incident involving federal agents since the start of Operation Metro Surge, and the second fatality.

President Trump shared the following on Truth Social after the call:

"It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I! We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have "touched" and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!"

Gov. Walz’s office responds

What they're saying:

Gov. Walz’s office says the call with President Trump was productive. Walz made the case to Trump that impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents are necessary, and the number of agents in the state needs to be reduced. Trump also agreed that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension should be allowed to investigate Saturday’s shooting. The BCA was previously blocked by the Department of Homeland Security from the scene, despite having a warrant to be there lawfully.

Walz’s office provided the following statement to FOX 9:

"The President agreed that he would talk to his Department of Homeland Security about ensuring the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is able to conduct an independent investigation, as would ordinarily be the case. The President also agreed to look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and working with the state in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.

"The Governor reminded President Trump that the Minnesota Department of Corrections already honors federal detainers by notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a person committed to its custody isn’t a U.S. citizen. There is not a single documented case of the department’s releasing someone from state prison without offering to ensure a smooth transfer of custody."

Trump sending Border Czar to Minnesota

The backstory:

President Trump is sending Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to manage ICE operations, according to posts from the Trump administration on social media. 

Minnesotans, as well as local and state officials, are calling for ICE to leave Minnesota. Thousands of federal agents are in Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge.