Republican lawmakers are breaking ranks to question President Trump’s Homeland Security leadership after a deadly Minnesota shooting, demanding investigations and testimony while signaling rare GOP unease with the administration.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 27, 2026
A year into President Donald Trump’s second term, cracks are emerging in Republican unity as lawmakers increasingly question the Department of Homeland Security’s handling of the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
After months of lockstep support for the administration’s hardline immigration agenda, GOP senators and House members are now calling for investigations and testimony from senior DHS officials — including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — signaling a rare intraparty pushback.
“I disagree with Noem’s premature DHS response, which came before all the facts were known and weakened confidence,” Sen. John Curtis of Utah wrote on X. His comments reflect broader frustration among Republicans over what aides describe as an overly hasty public narrative from DHS.
Noem is expected to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, according to the office of Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa. In parallel, the Republican chairs of the House and Senate Homeland Security committees have requested testimony from top DHS agencies.
“Today, I call on the heads of ICE, CBP, and USCIS to testify before the Homeland Security Committee,” Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said, posting images of formal requests sent to the agencies.
Several GOP lawmakers voiced concern over the administration’s tone following the shooting. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said he was “deeply troubled” by the incident, emphasizing constitutional protections. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas urged the administration to be “more measured,” while Sen. Todd Young of Indiana called for a “full and transparent investigation.”
Behind the scenes, Republican aides say tensions flared after DHS circulated an internal email describing the shooting as an “incident between U.S. Border Patrol officers and an illegal alien with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun,” language lawmakers felt jumped ahead of verified facts.
The White House has since softened its approach. Trump’s decision to dispatch border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota was welcomed by more than a dozen Republican lawmakers, many of whom publicly praised the move as a step toward restoring public trust.
“I welcome Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee these critical operations,” Rep. Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota said, calling his leadership “tough but fair.” One GOP aide described the praise for Homan as a subtle rebuke of Noem’s handling of the crisis.
Despite the growing criticism, Republicans remain wary of letting the dispute disrupt government funding negotiations. Democrats have pushed to strip DHS funding, but GOP leaders say there is little appetite for a shutdown.
“The tragic death of Alex Pretti has refocused attention on the Homeland Security bill,” said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, noting that more than 80 percent of DHS funding supports non-immigration functions such as FEMA, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service.
Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama echoed that view, backing an investigation while warning against brinkmanship ahead of the funding deadline.
The bottom line: While Republicans are not abandoning Trump’s border agenda, the Minnesota shooting has opened the door to more assertive oversight — and marked one of the clearest signs yet that the party’s internal dam is beginning to break.
