Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Wednesday called for “full transparency” and a thorough investigation after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, adding to the growing chorus of Minnesota leaders rejecting the federal government’s account of the incident.
Klobuchar’s statement came as she weighs a potential run for Minnesota governor, following Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement that he will not seek reelection. In a post on X, the Democratic senator squarely blamed the Trump administration’s immigration strategy for creating the conditions that led to the killing.
“This tragedy is the result of the administration sending federal agents onto our streets against the wishes of local law enforcement, including our respected Police Chief Brian O’Hara,” Klobuchar wrote. “We need full transparency and an investigation of what happened, and I am deeply concerned that statements made by DHS do not appear to reflect video evidence and on-the-ground accounts.”
Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have both publicly disputed the Department of Homeland Security’s description of the shooting. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said an ICE officer fired “defensive shots” after the woman allegedly attempted to run over agents with her vehicle — a claim Minnesota officials say does not match what they have seen.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, writing that the officer involved “seems to” have acted “in self defense.” Walz and Frey forcefully rejected that characterization during separate press conferences on Wednesday, accusing ICE of reckless conduct and warning that the federal presence is putting Minnesotans at risk rather than keeping them safe.
Klobuchar echoed those concerns, arguing that the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement is fundamentally misguided. “While our immigration enforcement should be focused on apprehending and prosecuting violent criminals to make our communities safer,” she wrote, “these ICE actions are doing the opposite and making our state less safe.”
