Republican governor urges rethink in Washington on immigration as Democrats blame aggressive federal raids for the unrest.
FILE - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday the White House needs to “recalibrate” Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s mission to rebuild public trust after federal agents fatally shot a second protester in Minnesota.
Abbott said immigration authorities should “get back to what they wanted to do to begin with” and focus on removing “people from the country who are here illegally.” He said respect for law enforcement, including ICE, is essential and that the Trump administration needs “to recalibrate on what needs to be done” to restore that respect, “especially under the current circumstances.” On conservative radio host Mark Davis’ Dallas-based show, Abbott said he believes federal officials are working on a “game plan” for agents to carry out removals “in a more structured way,” without causing “all the kinds of problems and fighting in communities” seen now.Abbott’s call for a shift in strategy comes amid heated fights over immigration in Congress and growing tensions inside the GOP. Some Republicans are seeking a deeper investigation into federal tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse protesting in Minneapolis. Abbott largely blamed Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the unrest, accusing them of “literally inciting violence” through their criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.Abbott said the “fights on the streets” were “fomented by the governor up there, by the mayor up there.”Democrats counter that the conflicts were caused by the federal government’s aggressive immigration raids and deadly use of force. They said local leaders called for de-escalation and after agents flooded neighborhoods.
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