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Deep inner divisions have emerged inside federal immigration enforcement over how the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) is dealing with the general public fallout and messaging after a lethal Border Patrol taking pictures in Minneapolis, Fox Information has realized.
Greater than half a dozen federal legislation enforcement officers concerned in immigration enforcement inform Fox Information there’s rising frustration with how senior officers have framed the incident publicly, fueling inner debates about tone, technique and credibility as scrutiny intensifies.
The taking pictures occurred throughout a morning immigration enforcement operation Saturday, when a Border Patrol agent fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident and Veterans Affairs intensive care unit nurse. Authorities say Pretti was armed with a handgun and two magazines.
Within the hours and days that adopted, DHS officers publicly described Pretti as a home terrorist and mentioned he was trying to “inflict most harm” on federal brokers or perform a “bloodbath,” language that has drawn inner criticism from inside the division, Fox Information is advised.
VANCE CALLS MINNEAPOLIS UNREST ‘ENGINEERED CHAOS’ AFTER DEADLY SHOOTING
A lady blows her whistle at U.S. Border Patrol brokers at a gasoline station in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 21, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Officers say a number of movies that later emerged have referred to as into query the DHS narrative, fueling frustration amongst brokers who imagine senior officers moved too rapidly to characterize the incident earlier than all information have been identified.
The inner disputes, officers say, have been damaging from a public relations and morale standpoint, eroding belief and credibility and intensifying broader debates inside the administration over how DHS management handles high-profile, politically charged incidents.
The officers who spoke with Fox Information mentioned they assist the mass deportation agenda, although they’ve critical hesitations concerning the messaging and the way the agenda is being carried out.
GOP LAWMAKER RENEWS OVERSIGHT HEARING REQUEST OF DHS AGENCIES FOLLOWING FATAL SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS
Federal brokers fireplace tear gasoline at protestors on Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Brandon Bell/Getty Pictures)
Some additionally expressed frustration that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is routinely blamed for the actions of the Border Patrol, which is a separate company.
Some officers described DHS’ response to the taking pictures as “a case examine on how to not do disaster PR,” with one saying they’re so “fed up” that they need they might retire, one other saying “DHS is making the state of affairs worse,” and one other including that “DHS is mistaken” and “we’re dropping this struggle, we’re dropping the bottom and the narrative.”
Fox Information reached out to DHS for touch upon issues that its rhetoric and communications might have broken the company’s credibility.
BORDER PATROL-INVOLVED SHOOTING REPORTED IN MINNEAPOLIS
Secretary of Homeland Safety Kristi Noem participates in a roundtable dialogue with native ranchers and U.S. Customs and Border Safety staff in Brownsville, Texas, on Jan. 7. (Michael Gonzalez/Getty Picture)
“We’ve seen a extremely coordinated marketing campaign of violence in opposition to our legislation enforcement,” DHS mentioned in a press release to Fox Information. “This particular person dedicated a federal crime whereas armed as he obstructed an lively legislation enforcement operation. As with every state of affairs that’s evolving, we work to present swift, correct info to the American folks as extra info turns into accessible.”
Officers say these inner frictions have now escalated, with widespread criticism that the aggressive ways pushed by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are eroding public assist for the mass deportation agenda and placing federal brokers in danger.
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Fox Information beforehand reported in October that deep inner friction had emerged inside the Trump administration’s mass deportation effort, with competing camps inside DHS divided over enforcement priorities, ways and the way aggressively to hold out deportations.
