Sen. Rand Paul Calls for Investigation into Border Patrol Shooting

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul urged for the immediate administrative leave of a Border Patrol agent involved in the shooting of Alex Preti in Minneapolis over the weekend, as well as an independent inquiry into the incident.

In his capacity as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Paul expressed concern, noting he couldn’t recall a time when police officials hastily labeled shooting victims as “domestic terrorists” or “potential assassins.” A statement from the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asserted that Preti had approached Border Patrol agents brandishing a firearm, allegedly with intentions of committing violence.

“Typically, local police departments place officers involved in mass shootings on administrative leave while an independent investigation occurs. This should happen right away,” Paul stated through social media. He added that he was unsettled by how swiftly the police chief characterized the deceased as “domestic terrorists” or “would-be assassins.” He emphasized the need for an independent investigation to ease tensions.

Reports from The New York Times indicated that the existing inquiry is merely a “use of force” review by DHS, not a criminal investigation concerning possible charges against the involved officers.

On Monday, Paul also called for testimony from the heads of various DHS agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He highlighted that Congress has a responsibility to oversee the substantial funds allocated to DHS to secure borders and enforce immigration laws effectively.

Interestingly, CNN’s senior legal analyst pointed out that the current investigation into Preti’s shooting is fraught with irregularities. Normally, the FBI ought to lead such inquiries alongside the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The ongoing DHS review will scrutinize Border Patrol protocols rather than assess whether the officers acted unlawfully.

DHS has also initiated an internal review, which Secretary Kristi Noem discussed in a January interview regarding another shooting incident in Minneapolis. The Justice Department has yet to investigate the ICE agents involved in that case.

In a statement released Saturday, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, labeled Preti as a “suspect,” claiming he was found with two magazines and no ID at the time of the incident. McLaughlin further stated, “This seems to be a case where an individual attempted to cause maximum harm to law enforcement.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff, described Preti as an “assassin” and referred to him as a “domestic terrorist” alongside Secretary Noem.

However, footage from the event seems to indicate that Preti never displayed a weapon. Eyewitness accounts assert that he did not show any firearm, and one local civil servant suggested that Preti was a licensed gun owner.

DHS has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the incident. Senator Paul also pointed to the significant funding boost DHS received from President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, noting that the agency is now operating with a surplus even without the current House-approved spending package.

“This week, discussions in the Senate will focus on whether to allocate $10 billion for ICE. Just remember, the One Big Beautiful Bill has provisioned about $18.7 billion for ICE over four years,” Paul remarked. He explained this means that ICE would receive a substantial funding increase without needing additional appropriations this year.