Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., called on the Trump administration to take a fresh look at how Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal immigration agencies carry out enforcement operations following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti last weekend.
In an opinion piece published Tuesday by The New York Times, Lawler argued that both Democrats and Republicans share responsibility for failures in immigration enforcement and said the recent violence should prompt immediate bipartisan action.
He called for "collaboration" between the parties to begin with a "transparent and accountable" investigation into the Pretti shooting, as well as the death of Renee Good earlier this month.
Lawler sharply criticized Democrats who have pushed to abolish ICE, saying such rhetoric has "increased the danger" for federal agents by "delegitimizing" immigration enforcement altogether.
At the same time, he acknowledged that federal agencies themselves must reevaluate how they operate in local communities.
"Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection are conducting forceful operations in American communities," Lawler wrote. "They should reassess their current tactics."
The New York Republican stopped short of weighing in on the specifics of the Pretti shooting but suggested that the unrest that followed in Minnesota may have been avoidable had state and federal authorities worked more closely together.
Beyond calling for investigations, Lawler said Congress should immediately hold hearings with the leaders of ICE, Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security to "promote an honest national conversation" about immigration enforcement.
Lawler also outlined several proposed reforms to immigration law, including what he described as a "realistic plan" that would "provide a path to legal status — not citizenship — for long-term illegal immigrants without criminal records."
He further argued that the immigration system should be restructured to prioritize merit-based immigration.
The opinion piece was published less than a day after President Donald Trump said that he spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey — both Democrats — about improving coordination between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration agents.
Lawler said the events of the past month underscore the urgency of bipartisan cooperation.
"Americans do not want chaos," Lawler wrote. "They want a common-sense bipartisan solution."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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