Senator Opposes DHS Funding After Fatal Shooting Incident
In the wake of a tragic incident involving a border patrol agent, Senator Ruben Gallego has declared his opposition to a proposed budget that includes additional funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The incident in question involved the fatal shooting of a nurse, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis by border patrol agents over the weekend. The Arizona Democrat insists that funding for DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be removed from the $1.3 trillion spending bill intended to maintain government operations beyond Friday.
Gallego emphasizes the necessity for protections to ensure federal immigration officers do not infringe upon constitutional rights.
“We can’t just continue to vote for this funding after two US citizens were gunned down by federal agents in the streets. It would be irresponsible of our leadership to do it, and we need to figure out any way we can to rein in the big government going after US citizens,” Gallego states.
Senator Gallego is prepared to endorse the budget only if accompanied by commitments to eliminate racial profiling and warrantless searches conducted by agents. Additionally, he advocates for ICE to cease operations in schools, churches, and other sensitive areas.
On Saturday, border patrol agents were involved in a shooting that resulted in the death of Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti. The Trump administration claims Pretti had a firearm, although this is contested by both witnesses and available video footage.
Gallego criticizes current immigration enforcement practices, stating, “Sane immigration enforcement means going after bad people. Going after the criminals that are preying in our communities, people that are very, very dangerous. Not what’s happening right now,” and adds, “ICE is not going out and doing their immigration work. They’re out now being part of the secret police of Stephen Miller and Donald Trump.”
The incident reportedly occurred while Pretti was recording the actions of immigration agents on his cellphone.
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