Tammy Baldwin says Kristi Noem should be fired over fatal shootings by federal agents

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “needs to be fired or resign” following the fatal shootings of two Minnesota residents by federal immigration agents.

Baldwin issued her ultimatum at a press conference where she began by talking about Alex Pretti, a graduate of Green Bay’s Preble High School, calling him “a role model to many” whose death was “entirely preventable.”

“We watched as ICE agents shot Alex 10 times, even as Alex lay motionless on the ground,” said Baldwin. “He was not brandishing his weapon. He was holding his phone to document what was happening to him and to his community.”

The day of Pretti’s death, Noem called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” without evidence. Pretti was carrying a concealed, holstered pistol during the confrontation with agents. He had a state permit to carry the concealed firearm. Other members of Trump’s administration have claimed he brandished the gun and was intent on killing officers, despite several videos of the killing showing otherwise. 

Baldwin said with videos of Pretti’s death spread far and wide on social media, Noem was “asking everyone not to believe their own eyes.” 

“And Wisconsinites are smarter than that,” Baldwin said. “To make matters worse, Kristi Noem and ICE are blocking the local police from even conducting a real independent investigation.”

Just weeks before, federal immigration agents fatally shot another Minnesota resident, Renee Good, in her vehicle. Federal officials claimed the agent that pulled the trigger feared Good was trying to run over him. Similarly, Noem described Good’s actions as “domestic terrorism.”

Noem “needs to be fired or she should resign,” said Baldwin. She said Noem “has got to go” and “if impeachment is the way to do it, I’d support it.” 

Baldwin won’t support DHS funding bill unless ICE is reined in

The U.S. Senate is set to consider a slate of federal funding bills this week that include new money for the DHS. At this point, Baldwin said she’ll vote no unless “accountability and reform and training” requirements for immigration agents are included.

Baldwin didn’t offer specifics, but said her office has been inundated by calls from Wisconsinites asking why the agents are allowed to wear masks and why they don’t have to wear badges.

“There should not be masked, armed, untrained, ill-trained federal agents roaming American cities, residential neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship,” said Baldwin. “And you know what? The other thing that I want to emphasize is accountability. There needs to be independent investigations. You can’t sweep this under the rug and say that the very agency whose agent is accused of homicide is going to do the full investigation and bar local and state law enforcement and prosecutors from having access to the evidence.”

Without Democratic votes, another shutdown is possible

The prospect of another shutdown of the federal government looms large in the U.S. Senate with Democrats like Baldwin refusing to approve new funding for the Department of Homeland Security without new restrictions on immigration enforcement activities.

The GOP-controlled House of Representatives has passed 12 federal spending bills, six of which have been signed by Trump. Another six are before the Senate, and the package must be approved by Friday or funding for the DHS and other agencies will lapse, causing a partial government shutdown.

The debate in the Senate comes just more than two months after the end of a record-breaking 43-day government shutdown sparked by an impasse between Republican and Democratic senators over extending enhanced tax credits for keeping health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act.

When asked if Democrats are willing to risk another shutdown, Baldwin said the real question is whether Senate Republicans are “going to join us in adding accountability measures that rein in ICE.”

“It’s as simple as that,” said Baldwin. “We have two choices. We can either move forward and add accountability, strong accountability measures to the Homeland Security bill, or they can opt to not do so and thwart the will of the American people.”

Wisconsin’s Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said in a social media post that he will “oppose any effort to defund DHS” and blamed the deaths on Democrats “inciting violence and obstruction of federal law enforcement.”