Two immigration officers connected to the deadly shooting of a demonstrator in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave, according to US officials. This development comes as President Donald Trump faces significant criticism over the event.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, was shot multiple times on Saturday during an altercation with camouflaged border patrol agents, an incident that was captured on video.

Pretti’s death follows the earlier fatal shooting of another female protester by an immigration officer in January, igniting a wave of nationwide, bipartisan outrage.

A representative from the US Customs and Border Protection agency confirmed on Wednesday that two officers involved in the incident have been put on administrative leave.

“This is standard protocol,” the spokesperson stated in an official release.

It comes as an initial review of the deadly shooting made no mention of Pretti brandishing a firearm, despite initial statements by Trump officials highlighting the weapon.

In the hours after Pretti was killed, top Trump administration officials portrayed the nurse as an aggressor, assertions that were quickly contradicted by video from the scene.

US homeland security wrote on X he “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun”, but did not mention that the weapon was holstered.

In the hours after Pretti was killed, top Trump administration officials portrayed the nurse as an aggressor, assertions that were quickly contradicted by video from the scene. Source: Anadolu / Jacek Boczarski

Stephen Miller — a powerful figure who leads Trump’s hard-line immigration policy — called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and “would-be assassin” without presenting evidence to support the claims.

The White House later said Miller was referring to “general guidance” to immigration agents operating in Minnesota, not the specific incident involving Pretti.

Trump has called for an “honourable and honest investigation” into Pretti’s death and suggested he would “de-escalate a little bit” the administration’s immigration crackdown in the city in the northern state of Minnesota.

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