Sen. Baldwin Demands Secretary Kristi Noem’s Resignation

Image from Baldwin’s office.

After federal immigration agents killed a second U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is calling for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Sec. Kristi Noem to resign or be fired.

“Kristi Noam has overseen the killing of two Americans in Minneapolis… She’s blatantly lied to the American people, telling them not to believe their own eyes,” Baldwin said. “She’s overseeing total and utter chaos in our country, putting more American lives at risk every day. That is why she has to go. She needs to be fired or she should resign.”

During a press conference with local media Tuesday, Baldwin announced she would not vote for a appropriations bill that includes funding for DHS, which includes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), unless the agency takes action to improve accountability and transparency and withdraw the thousands of agents in Minneapolis.

“I refuse to give ICE and DHS a blank check to keep acting lawlessly, putting American lives at risk and making our communities less safe,” Baldwin said.

On Saturday, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Pretti grew up in Green Bay where his family still lives. He was the second U.S. citizen shot and killed by federal immigration agents in less than a month during the Trump administration’s federal law enforcement surge in Minnesota called “Operation Metro Surge.” An ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good on Jan. 7.

Baldwin offered her condolences to the Pretti family, saying his death was “entirely preventable” and that he “should still be alive today.” The senator also called for an independent investigation into the killings that involves state and local officials.

“Instead of lowering the temperature and simply calling for an investigation, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem threw gas on the fire and lied to the American people. Without evidence, she called Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA, a ‘domestic terrorist’,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin demanded the president immediately draw down the thousands of immigration agents the administration surged into Minneapolis over the past month and said Congress should not approve more funding for DHS until the agents in the streets of Minneapolis are reigned in.

“We’ve warned this president for weeks and weeks that sending 1,000s of masked, armed and ill-trained ICE agents and border patrol into Minneapolis would only create chaos and make everyone less safe,” Baldwin said.

At least 162 members of the House of Representatives  — more than three-fourths of all House Democrats, who total 213 — backed an impeachment resolution against Noem as of Tuesday afternoon, as the Wisconsin Examiner reported. That includes Wisconsin’s two Democratic House members, Reps Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan.

The Senate will vote Tuesday evening on a funding bill that includes DHS. Baldwin is joining other Democratic senators demanding changes to immigration enforcement policy before they can vote in favor of the bill. Baldwin told media Tuesday she wants to see immigration agents take off the masks and wear identification during operations, and wants independent investigations into allegations that agents are routinely violating laws.

“These are the type of things that need to happen,” Baldwin said. “There should not be masked, armed, untrained, federal agents roaming American cities, residential neighborhoods, schools, places of worship.”

Johnson Blames Democrats for Protestors Killed in Minneapolis

In response to questions from Urban Milwaukee, Sen. Ron Johnson released the following statement:

“The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are tragedies that did not have to happen. So were the deaths of Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, Brianna Kelson, Rachel Morin, and many, many other victims of illegal immigrants. All of these deaths are the result of the Democrats’ open border policy and now the incitement of violence and obstruction against federal law enforcement. Hopefully, Democrat elected officials will admit that the public is safer if they cooperate with rather than obstruct federal officials trying to clean up Democrat-created messes.”