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By Hannah Parry and Gabe Whisnant
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Republican Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Tuesday called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.
“I think she should go,” Tillis told reporters, saying Noem’s handling of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota had damaged the administration and distracted from issues Republicans hoped to emphasize.
Noem is facing mounting scrutiny over federal immigration operations in the state, which have resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens this month in Minneapolis—Pretti and Renee Nicole Good.
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Criticism Grows Over Officials’ Statements
Democrats—and now some Republicans—have criticized Noem and other administration officials for claiming that Pretti approached immigration officers with a gun and acted violently. They say those assertions are contradicted by bystander video that shows Pretti holding what appears to be a cellphone and assisting another protester before being tackled by officers.
Tillis said Noem’s actions should disqualify her from continuing to lead the department.
“I think that what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying,” Tillis said. “She should be out of a job. It’s amateurish. It’s making the president look bad on policies that he won on.”
He added that Republicans are no longer talking about border security but instead about “the incompetence of the leader of homeland security.”
Murkowski echoed those concerns, saying the president should reassess his leadership team.
“I think the president needs to look at who he has in place as the secretary of Homeland Security,” she said. “I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down.”
Trump Stands by Noem as Aides Clash
President Donald Trump has continued to support Noem, a former Republican governor of South Dakota. Asked Tuesday whether she should resign, Trump responded simply, “No.”
The controversy intensified after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described Pretti as an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents” in a social media post Saturday. Vice President JD Vance shared the post.
Tillis sharply criticized Miller’s remarks.
“Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence,” Tillis said Tuesday.
Miller said Tuesday that the White House is reviewing whether Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis “may not have been following” proper protocol before Pretti was killed.
GOP Dissent From Tillis
Tillis has been one of the few Republicans to regularly break with the Trump administration. He recently criticized Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, calling it “stupid,” and said the president missed an opportunity during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos to reassure U.S. allies.
Those comments have underscored growing unease among some Republicans over the administration’s handling of foreign and domestic policy.
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Democrats Float Noem Impeachment Threats
Several Democrats have threatened to pursue impeachment proceedings against Noem if she does not resign or if Trump does not remove her.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania urged Trump to fire Noem, warning him not to repeat what he described as mistakes made by the Biden administration.
“President Trump: I make a direct appeal to immediately fire Secretary Noem,” Fetterman said in a statement. “Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy.”
Trump has frequently criticized former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the Biden administration for border enforcement failures, arguments Fetterman has at times echoed, even while sharply opposing Noem’s leadership.
The growing bipartisan criticism adds pressure on the administration as investigations into the Minnesota shootings continue.
Updates: 1/27/26, 8:10 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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