A recent social media post by a former Biden administration spokesperson, which mourned the death of an infant in government custody amid heightened immigration actions in Minnesota, sparked a wave of criticism from Republicans. They focused on the fact that the infant’s death occurred during the Biden administration.
Andrew Bates, who formerly served as Deputy Press Secretary under President Biden, shared a tweet from Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats about Anadis Danay Reyes Alvarez, an 8-year-old suffering from sickle cell anemia and heart disease, who died in Border Patrol custody in 2023.
Bates commented, “It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, left or right. It’s just completely wrong,” in conjunction with the retweet.
This post drew responses from conservative commentators, who pointed out that Alvarez had died in 2023, during Biden’s term.
Tim Murtaugh, who was Donald Trump’s campaign communications director in 2020, responded to Bates with, “Andrew, it’s remarkable how much pride you must have felt when you posted this, seemingly unaware of these occurrences while you worked in the White House. Quite amazing. First-class work from start to finish.” Greg Price, who was Trump’s rapid response manager, also reminded Bates, “Andy, remember who was in charge of the country in 2023.”
Bates defended his stance, stating, “I stand by what I said. It’s terrible and it shouldn’t have happened. I’m proud that the American people reject the brutality that ICE inflicts on Americans and immigrants, and that puts us all at risk. I hope we can agree on that.”
The White House’s social media communications come amid growing scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Minneapolis, which are part of Operation Metro Surge—a campaign that began in December 2025 and involved deploying a significant number of ICE agents to the area.
Recently, ICE arrested 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who is a citizen of Ecuador, claiming they are in the U.S. illegally. They are currently detained in Texas.
In the same context, Bates and Murtaugh’s exchange reflects the ongoing criticism that ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are facing after two American citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in Minnesota. On January 24, two CBP agents killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse documenting federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Reports indicate that those involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, per agency guidelines.
Pretti’s death occurred shortly after another incident in which 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was also shot and killed by investigators.
The Department of Homeland Security classified both incidents as self-defense. Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche confirmed that a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death by the Justice Department is underway.
Interestingly, a new Fox News poll reveals that a majority of voters, about 59%, believe that ICE’s strategy concerning immigration is excessively aggressive, a notable increase from 49% who felt the same in July 2025.
