Shock as Trump Immigration Guru Backtracks While Noem Drops Important Claim
White House in Turmoil? Trump Immigration Guru Admits Border Agents May Have Violated Protocol in Fatal Minnesota Shooting as Noem Claims She Was Following Orders
Stephen Miller acknowledged that Border Patrol agents may have failed to follow proper procedures during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, marking a significant reversal from his initial characterization of the incident.
The admission came as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared to distance herself from earlier statements about the 37-year-old nurse’s death.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Miller said the administration is evaluating why the Border Patrol team may not have adhered to established protocol.
The senior Trump advisor had previously described Pretti as “an assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents” in the immediate aftermath of the Saturday shooting.
Miller explained that the White House had provided clear guidance to DHS that extra personnel sent to Minnesota for force protection should have been used for conducting fugitive operations.
This would have created a physical barrier between arrest teams and protesters, according to his statement.
Noem reportedly told an individual who relayed her remarks to Axios that her actions were taken at the direction of the president and Miller.
During a Sunday press conference, the DHS secretary had called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” who was “brandishing a weapon” with intent to harm law enforcement officers.
Miller defended the initial DHS statement by claiming it was based on reports from Border Patrol agents on the ground.
He maintained that the extra personnel deployment was intended to separate arrest teams from disruptors through fugitive operations.
The Daily Mail reported that President Trump held a two-hour meeting Monday night with key advisors at Noem’s request, though Miller was not present.
According to Axios, Noem emphasized during the meeting that she took direction from Miller and the president, expressing that she feels abandoned by the administration.
One source indicated that Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino should be held responsible rather than Miller.
The source stated that Bovino was providing information to the White House from the scene of the incident.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Miller’s position within the administration.
“Stephen Miller is one of President Trump’s most trusted and longest-serving aides. The president loves Stephen,” Leavitt said, per the Daily Mail.
Miller released a statement on social media Tuesday night praising immigration agents working in Minnesota.
“Working under the most adverse conditions imaginable, stalked, hunted, tailed, surveilled and viciously attacked by organized violent leftists every hour of the day, our heroic ICE officers selflessly defend our sovereignty and the lives of our people,” he wrote.
Working under the most adverse conditions imaginable, stalked, hunted, tailed, surveilled and viciously attacked by organized violent leftists every hour of the day, our heroic ICE officers selflessly defend our sovereignty and the lives of our people. True courage and devotion. https://t.co/M3xahZCPmV
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) January 28, 2026
Trump has distanced himself from the initial characterizations made by Miller and Noem.
In comments to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Trump expressed dismay over the shooting while noting concerns about Pretti carrying a loaded weapon with extra magazines.
Leavitt told reporters Monday that she had not heard the president characterize Pretti as a domestic terrorist. Trump demonstrated his displeasure with how the situation was handled by removing Bovino from Minneapolis on Tuesday, sending Border Czar Tom Homan to take over operations instead.
When asked whether the shooting was justified, Trump said a “big investigation” was underway.
Speaking on Fox News, the president indicated that Homan’s deployment would “de-escalate a little bit” and noted that Homan maintains working relationships with governors and mayors, including in Democratic areas.
A new Border Patrol report states that two agents fired ten shots at Pretti but does not mention him drawing his weapon.
The report was submitted to Congress within the required 72-hour timeframe for deaths in Border Patrol custody, the Daily Mail highlighted.
According to the report, Border Patrol agents encountered several protesters at approximately 9am Saturday at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
The protesters were reportedly yelling, blowing whistles, and blocking the roadway. After verbal requests to disperse were ignored, two women confronted the agents while blowing whistles.
The report states that the women were pushed away and one ran to Pretti.
An officer deployed pepper spray while attempting to arrest him.
“CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued,” the report states. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled
“He’s got a gun!” multiple times.
Approximately five seconds later, one agent using a Glock 19 and one officer using a Glock 47 discharged their weapons at Pretti.
An agent secured Pretti’s gun immediately after the shooting.
Border Patrol personnel applied chest seals to his wounds at 9:02am, with emergency medical services arriving three minutes later.
Breaking Axios:
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 27, 2026
Kristi Noem's language that Alex Pretti wanted to "massacre" federal agents was dictated to Noem and her department by the man most responsible for the controversial operation: Stephen Miller.
That's according to four sources who spoke to Axios.…
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