Democrat AGs Exposed After ‘Armed Nurse’ Killed By Border Patrol

A researcher with the Firearms Policy Coalition is calling out what he describes as glaring hypocrisy from Democratic attorneys general following the deadly Border Patrol shooting of an armed man who appeared to interfere with federal agents attempting to arrest a criminal alien in Minneapolis.

In a social media post Saturday, Rob Romano highlighted past legal arguments made by Democrat-led states that directly contradict the left’s current narrative surrounding the incident. Romano pointed to a 2024 court filing in which multiple Democratic attorneys general sought to bar individuals from showing up to protests while armed.

“The AGs of DC, IL, CT, DE, HI, MD, MA, MI, MN, NV, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, and WA argued in 2024 that there’s no 2A right to carry guns at ‘events involving political speech, like political rallies and protests because they are ‘often targets of violence,'” Romano wrote in a post that included a screengrab of the filing.

Romano’s post comes as Democrats and left-wing activists claim that the man killed by Border Patrol—Alex Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse for the VA—was exercising his First and Second Amendment rights when he confronted agents, engaged in a physical altercation, and was ultimately shot during the Department of Homeland Security operation.

Conservatives and legal analysts online were quick to point out the contradiction, noting that many of the same Democrats now portraying Pretti as a constitutional martyr have spent years pushing aggressive gun-control measures and limiting lawful carry—positions they appear willing to abandon when politically convenient and useful against the Trump administration.

Vice President J.D. Vance weighed in Sunday, sharply criticizing the unrest that followed the Jan. 24 shooting and describing the situation in Minneapolis as “engineered chaos.” Vance placed responsibility squarely on anti-law-enforcement activists and local officials who he said refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.

Speaking after protests erupted in response to the shooting by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, Vance said the disorder was a predictable outcome of resistance to immigration enforcement under President Donald J. Trump.

Vance accused “far-left agitators working with local authorities” of creating the conditions that led to the confrontation and urged local leaders to restore order by cooperating with federal law enforcement.

“This level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis,” Vance said in a post on X. “It is the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities.”

The vice president’s remarks came as Republicans offered mixed responses in Congress. Some GOP lawmakers called for increased oversight of DHS agencies, while others blasted the media for what they described as one-sided coverage that downplayed violence and obstruction against federal agents. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana broke with President Trump’s handling of the situation, calling for a full investigation into the deadly encounter.

Lawmakers including Rep. Andrew Garbarino renewed calls for congressional oversight hearings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to explain federal actions in Minneapolis and across the region.

The shooting has further exposed deep political divisions over immigration enforcement and law-and-order policy. Federal officials have defended the actions of agents involved, while critics continue to question the administration’s approach to community engagement. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Justice Department officials have warned that obstructing federal operations or attacking law enforcement officers constitutes a crime, as DOJ resources are increased in Minnesota amid ongoing unrest.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have threatened to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security during broader budget negotiations unless their demands for reforms are met.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz escalated tensions further by calling on the Trump administration to withdraw ICE agents from the city altogether. Walz said he spoke with the White House “after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning.”

“Minnesota has had it,” Walz said. “This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”