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Deep internal divisions have erupted among law enforcement officials over how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is handling the situation and messaging to the public after the deadly Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis, Fox News has learned.
More than a dozen law enforcement officials involved in immigration enforcement tell Fox News there is growing frustration with the way senior officials have publicly framed the incident, fueling internal debates about tone, strategy and credibility as scrutiny mounts.
The shooting happened early Saturday morning, when a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old resident of Minneapolis and a nurse in the intensive care unit. Authorities say Pretti was armed with a handgun and two magazines.
In the hours and days that followed, DHS officials publicly described Pretti as a domestic terrorist and said he was trying to “do great harm” to federal agents or commit “massacre,” language that drew criticism from within the department, Fox News reported.
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A woman blows her whistle at US Border Patrol agents at a gas station in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 21, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Authorities say many of the videos that have surfaced later cast doubt on the DHS story, fueling frustration among agents who believe senior officials were quick to report the incident before all the facts were known.
The internal disputes, officials say, were damaging public relations and morale, eroding trust and credibility and fueling broader debates within the administration about how DHS leadership handles high-profile, politically charged incidents.
Officials who spoke to Fox News said they support the mass deportation agenda, though they have serious reservations about the messaging and how the agenda is carried out.
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Federal agents fired tear gas at protesters on Jan. 24, 2026, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Others also expressed frustration that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is constantly blamed for the actions of the Border Patrol, which is a separate agency.
Some officials described DHS’s response to the shooting as “a lesson in how not to make a PR problem,” one saying they were “so fed up” that they wished they could retire, another saying “DHS is making the situation worse,” and another adding “DHS is wrong” and “we’re losing this battle, we’re losing ground and narrative.”
Fox News has reached out to DHS for comment over concerns that its comments and communications may harm the agency’s credibility.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem participates in a roundtable discussion with local ranchers and US Customs and Border Protection officials in Brownsville, Texas, on Jan. 7. (Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)
“We have seen a very concerted campaign of violence against law enforcement,” DHS said in a statement to Fox News. “This individual committed a federal crime while obstructing law enforcement. As with any evolving situation, we are working to provide the American people with prompt and accurate information as more information becomes available.”
Authorities say that infighting has now escalated, with widespread criticism that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s aggressive tactics are eroding public support for the mass deportation agenda and putting federal agents at risk.
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Fox News reported earlier in October that deep internal rifts have erupted in the Trump administration’s deportation effort, with competing camps within DHS divided over enforcement priorities, tactics and how to brutally deport people.
