WI lawmaker response: Baldwin calls for Noem to resign; Grothman says Pretti 'probably did not have to die'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Republican congressman on Tuesday questioned whether federal immigration officers needed to kill a U.S. citizen over the weekend in Minneapolis, and a Democratic senator called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be removed from her position.

While both GOP Rep. Glenn Grothman and Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin offered criticism after the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a demonstrator with ties to Wisconsin, they sharply disagreed on who's ultimately to blame for violence this month in Minneapolis that resulted in federal officers killing two U.S. citizens.

Baldwin said the deaths are a tipping point for Noem's time in charge of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She said Noem's comments after the deaths, in which she referred to both Pretti and Renee Good as domestic terrorists, were also evidence she's unfit for the position.

"She has blatantly lied to the American people, telling them not to believe their own eyes," Baldwin said in a virtual press call. "She needs to be fired or she should resign. ICE is simply out of control."

There's yet another federal funding deadline looming at the end of this week.

Baldwin told reporters she would not support any funding for DHS without "accountability measures." She signaled she was willing to shut down the federal government in order to ensure there are new requirements of ICE and Border Patrol officers, including a ban on officers covering their faces and a mandate they display badges and wear body cameras.

"There should not be masked, armed, untrained, ill-trained federal agents roaming American cities," Baldwin said.

In an interview Tuesday, Grothman said he'd seen one video showing officers shooting Pretti. He said that viewing, along with reports he's read, led him to believe the Minneapolis man "probably did not have to die."

"Obviously, I think the Border Patrol may not be used to this sort of situation. They saw a gun," Grothman said. "I think we have to review that training, obviously, because it does seem there should've been some way to handle this in which this guy wasn't shot."

Grothman went on to say he believes Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are mostly to blame for the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good, who officers shot and killed Jan. 7.

Grothman maintained if Minnesota leaders were more willing partners as federal officers work to arrest undocumented immigrants:

"There's no doubt in my mind, I don't think this would've happened if we were in Texas or Florida," Grothman said. "Or somewhere where you have a more cooperative government."

Grothman said he disagreed with the comments made by Noem and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller shortly after Pretti's death. Noem claimed Pretti intended to "inflict maximum damage" on law enforcement while Miller called Pretti "an assassin."

Based on several videos circulating online, there is no evidence Pretti initiated physical contact with the officers who wound up killing him.

"I have a feeling once they look at the video more, they may change their viewpoint," Grothman said. "That certainly happened with the woman who died a couple weeks ago."

There has been a wide range in the responses from other Wisconsin representatives in Congress. Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, whose district includes Milwaukee and several immediate suburbs, said Sunday at an anti-ICE rally in West Allis she believed the officers who killed Good and Pretti will eventually face criminal charges in Minnesota.

She based those remarks on a conversation she'd had earlier with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

"I can tell you the statute of limitations will not run out on the lives of our ICU nurse latest victim or Renee Good," Moore told supporters. "And [the officers] will be prosecuted."

GOP Congressman Tom Tiffany, who is also running for governor, told reporters in Madison Monday he had not seen the video of Pretti's death. He said he supported an independent investigation into the shooting.

"I have not watched the videos closely," Tiffany said. "I mean, often times, they're grainy, and I reserve judgement until professionals review this thoroughly."

Republican Senator Ron Johnson issued a statement Monday blaming Minnesota leaders for the violence. He also criticized Democrats in Congress for signaling a willingness to hold up the budget over their objections to funding DHS without new conditions for officers.

"Minnesota Democrats are inciting violence and obstruction of federal law enforcement," Johnson said. "Now, Senate Democrats are threatening to defund the very agency tasked with cleaning up their mess. I will oppose any effort to defund DHS."

CBS 58 requested an interview with Johnson Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the senator did not respond to that request.

GOP Rep. Bryan Steil and Scott Fitzgerald also represent parts of southeast Wisconsin. Neither congressman has posted anything online about Pretti's shooting, and neither of their offices responded Tuesday to requests for an interview.