Vice President JD Vance is standing firm behind the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minnesota, rejecting demands for apologies or a policy retreat as Democrats and the media intensify their attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Vance made clear the White House is not backing down after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse and anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti during an ICE-related operation — an incident that has become a rallying point for opponents of deportation enforcement.
Vance drew criticism after he reposted claims from White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller suggesting Pretti intended to kill federal agents.
When asked whether he would apologize to Pretti's family, Vance flatly refused.
"For what?" the vice president responded, stressing that ongoing investigations should determine whether officers acted lawfully.
"I don't think it's smart to prejudge the investigation," he said, emphasizing that law enforcement officers, like any Americans, are entitled to a presumption of innocence.
Pretti, who had a concealed-carry permit, was shot by two federal officers assigned to Minneapolis as part of President Donald Trump's immigration operation.
The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation, and Miller later acknowledged his comments were made before all facts were known.
Trump himself has said he does not believe Pretti was an "assassin."
Despite the tragedy, Vance argued that the broader context has been ignored by critics and much of the press.
Video footage has emerged showing Pretti taunting ICE agents weeks before his death, behavior Vance said underscores the need for a careful, fact-based review rather than political grandstanding.
The controversy has fueled claims that Trump is retreating from his signature mass deportation agenda, particularly after border czar Tom Homan was sent to Minnesota and said the administration would "draw down" agents to reduce chaos amid anti-ICE protests.
Vance rejected that interpretation outright.
"We're not surrendering," he told the Daily Mail. "We're not moving back on anything. We're just trying to encourage cooperation so that we get a little bit less chaos."
That cooperation, Vance said, is slowly emerging, even in blue states.
He revealed that local authorities who previously refused to notify ICE when criminal illegal immigrants were being released from jail are now beginning to coordinate, particularly in cases involving sex crimes.
"That's the kind of cooperation we need to see more of," Vance said, adding that enforcement will continue regardless.
The political stakes are high.
Daily Mail polling conducted by JL Partners shows a majority of Americans now oppose ICE and Customs and Border Protection raids in U.S. cities, including nearly one in five Republicans.
Still, Vance framed the administration's mission in blunt terms.
"There will be less violence on America's streets," he said, arguing that deporting criminal illegal immigrants remains essential to protecting communities.
As Democrats call for defunding ICE and protesters continue to target agents on the ground, the Trump administration is signaling it will not be deterred.
For conservatives, the Minnesota showdown has become a test of whether immigration law will be enforced or abandoned under political and media pressure.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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