Trump says the lesson from Minneapolis is to use a “softer touch” in federal immigration enforcement

Washington — After two Americans were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis last month, President Trump said the lesson he’s learned from the federal operation in Minnesota is to use a “little bit of a softer touch.” 

“I learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch,” the president said in an interview with NBC News airing Wednesday. “But you still have to be tough.”

Investigations continue into the deaths of Renée Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 amid a surge of immigration agents to the Twin Cities that began more than two months ago. Trump border czar Tom Homan on Wednesday announced he will cut the number of federal immigration and border patrol agents in Minneapolis by 700. Homan cited an “unprecedented” level of cooperation between counties and federal immigration enforcement officials, saying some counties have agreed to let Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents take custody of migrants directly from their jails.

Mr. Trump told NBC News he made the call to cut down the federal immigration enforcement presence. 

“Yes, it did,” the president said when asked if that decision came from him. “But it didn’t come from me because I just wanted to do it. We have— we are waiting for them to release prisoners. Give us the murderers that they’re holding, and all of the bad people, drug dealers, all of the bad people.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have been critical of the administration’s immigration crackdown in the city. Last month, CBS News reported the Justice Department was investigating them both over an alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration agents, multiple sources familiar with the matter said, a significant escalation in the clash.

“I’ve called the governor, I’ve called the mayor, spoke to him, had great conversations with him, and then I see them ranting and raving out there, literally as though a call wasn’t made,” Mr. Trump told NBC News on Wednesday. 

On Wednesday, Good’s brothers, Luke and Brent Ganger, testified on Capitol Hill in their first public comments after their sister was shot and killed by an ICE agent while driving her car.

“The deep distress our family feels because of Nay’s loss in such a violent and unnecessary way is complicated by feelings of disbelief, distress and desperation for change,” Luke Ganger said. “In the last few weeks, our family took some consolation thinking that perhaps Nay’s death would bring about change in our country. And it has not.”