Stephen Miller accuses Democrats of siding with 'terrorists' after Minneapolis Border Patrol-involved shooting
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller slammed Democrats for calling on federal immigration agents to leave Minnesota, accusing them of siding with "terrorists" after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot an armed U.S. citizen during a confrontation Saturday in Minneapolis.
The 37-year-old man allegedly approached agents during an apparent operation and then "violently resisted," while armed with a 9mm pistol and two magazines, leading to the shooting.
"A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement and the official Democrat account sides with the terrorists," Miller wrote in an X post.
He later responded to a social media post from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave Minneapolis and for Congress to cut its funding.
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"An assassin tried to murder federal agents and this is your response," Miller replied.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the man, whose name has not yet been released, held a lawful permit to carry (PTC).
In a letter penned to Walz on Saturday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Minnesota has "refused" to enforce the law, saying the "consequences are heartbreaking."
"… Unfortunately, you and other Minnesota officials have refused to support the men and women risking their lives to protect Americans and uphold the rule of law," Bondi wrote.
"Because Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul have chosen to ignore federal immigration law by enacting sanctuary laws and policies, the federal agents led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have operated alone," she added. "And politicians in your state are not just refusing to help these agents, they are putting federal agents in danger."
Bondi also called out Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for saying, "ICE: Get the f--- out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here," and Walz for referring to federal immigration enforcement agents as "Trump’s modern-day Gestapo."
"The results of your state’s policies and politicians’ anti-law enforcement rhetoric are a national tragedy. Violence against ICE officers and agents has increased approximately 1,300 percent," she wrote. "Vehicular attacks against ICE officers have increased 3,200%. … You and your office must restore the rule of law, support ICE officers, and bring an end to the chaos in Minnesota."