At least two Senate Republicans are demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem step down from her position in the wake of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis.
Noem has faced growing calls for her resignation after a Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. She is being criticized for her response to the shooting, in which she baselessly suggested Pretti was engaging in “domestic terrorism.”
A number of Democrats, including Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), have already demanded Noem to be removed from her post. But on Tuesday, GOP Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined those calls.
In comments to reporters, Tillis criticized Noem for the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
“I think that what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,” Tillis said, according to reporter Jamie Dupree.
“It’s just amateurish. It’s terrible. It’s making the president look bad on policies that he won on. He won on a strong message about immigration, and now nobody’s talking about that. They’re not talking about securing the border,” he continued.
He then bashed Gregory Bovino, who was the commander of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Multiple news outlets reported that Bovino is leaving the city following the killing of Pretti.
“They’re talking about the incompetence of the leader of Homeland Security and the other people, Bovino, whatever his name is. He needs to go back to California, get his retirement papers and go. These people are amateurs. They got to deescalate there and treat these communities with some respect,” Tillis said.
Murkowski echoed similar concerns in comments to reporters on Tuesday.
“I think the President needs to look at who he has in place as the Secretary of Homeland Security. I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down,” Murkowski said, according to CNN.
This comes days after Pretti was fatally shot, and nearly three weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed Renee Good. Since Good’s death, Minneapolis has been the site of mass protests demanding that ICE leave the city.
Despite growing calls for her resignation, Trump reiterated his support for Noem in comments to reporters on Tuesday. He also said that Noem will not be stepping down from her position.
“I think she’s doing a very good job,” he told reporters.