Washington, DC [US], January 27 (ANI): The White House on Monday stated that federal agencies are actively investigating the shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti as political tensions over immigration enforcement escalated and criticism of Democratic leaders in Minnesota intensified.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are conducting inquiries into Pretti's death, while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is also carrying out an internal review. She told reporters that Saturday's shooting 'remains under active investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.'

Leavitt added, 'As President Trump said yesterday, the administration is reviewing everything with respect to the shooting, and we will let that investigation play out,' stressing that multiple federal bodies are examining the incident.

Despite the ongoing probes, senior administration figures made firm public statements about Pretti, with White House Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller labelling him a 'domestic terrorist.'

Leavitt also said the administration does not want further loss of life, stating: 'Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America's streets. This includes Renee Good, Alex Pretti, the brave men and women of federal law enforcement and the many Americans who have been victimised at the hands of illegal alien criminals.'

Pretti's death marked the second time a Minneapolis resident has been killed by federal officers this month, fuelling public outrage over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Federal officials have declined to provide critical details supporting their claim that the agent involved shot Pretti in self-defence, CNN reported. Witness statements and video footage have shed new light on the incident, with at least two agents appearing to have worn body-worn cameras, raising the possibility that additional footage has not yet been made public.

As scrutiny over the shooting intensified, President Donald Trump blamed Democratic policies, even as lawmakers from both parties, including some Republicans, called for a formal investigation.

Against this backdrop, Trump on Monday urged Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other Democratic governors and mayors across the United States to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration enforcement, arguing that resistance by so-called sanctuary cities has led to 'division, chaos, and violence.'

Through posts on Truth Social, Trump said, 'Governor Walz and Mayor Frey should turn over all Criminal Illegal Aliens that are currently incarcerated in their State Prisons and Jails to Federal Authorities, for immediate deportation,' adding that state and local law enforcement must hand over illegal aliens arrested by local police. He said local police must also assist federal agencies in apprehending and detaining 'Illegal Aliens' wanted for 'Crimes.'

Trump further called on Congress to pass legislation ending sanctuary city policies, describing them as the 'root cause' of public safety concerns. 'American Cities should be Safe Sanctuaries for law-abiding American Citizens ONLY,' he said.

In a separate post, Trump alleged that under President Joe Biden's tenure, 'Tens of Millions of Illegal Alien Criminals' entered the country, including 'Hundreds of Thousands of Convicted Murderers, Rapists, Kidnappers, Drug Dealers, and Terrorists.' He said his administration had 'sealed the border' and launched what he described as the largest deportation effort in US history.

Trump claimed ICE arrested '150,245' undocumented immigrants with criminal records in Republican-led states over the past year, asserting the operations occurred 'peacefully' due to cooperation between local and federal authorities.

He also accused Democrats of prioritising undocumented immigrants over 'law-abiding citizens,' saying they had created 'dangerous circumstances,' and claimed they were responsible for the loss of two American lives.

Responding to criticism from Governor Walz, Leavitt posted on X, accusing him of undermining law and order. She alleged that Minnesota witnessed large-scale fraud involving taxpayer funds under Walz's leadership and claimed nearly 500 undocumented immigrants with criminal records were released instead of being transferred to federal custody.

Leavitt further accused Walz of spreading misinformation about federal law enforcement officers and encouraging activists to interfere with immigration operations, putting officers at risk. She also referenced the 2020 unrest in Minneapolis following George Floyd's killing, blaming state leadership for allowing 'violence and arson.'

Walz, in a post on X, defended Minnesota's position, saying the state believes in 'law and order and peace,' while accusing the Trump administration of deploying 'untrained agents.' 'Trump needs to pull his 3,000 untrained agents out of Minnesota before they kill another American in the street.'

Trump had earlier alleged that Minnesota was involved in a 'criminal cover-up of massive financial fraud,' without providing specific evidence.

The controversy follows two deadly encounters involving federal officers this month.

Renee Good, 37, a mother of three, was shot on January 7 during protests against the administration's militarised raids. On January 24, Pretti was killed at point-blank range after being restrained by federal officers.

The incidents have prompted legal challenges over the deployment of heavily armed, masked federal officers in Minnesota, with judges hearing arguments on whether the operations violate state sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats have warned they may block federal funding unless reforms are introduced to immigration enforcement practices. (ANI)