Senator Booker Blasts “Authoritarian” Federal Tactics After Minneapolis Killings
NJ Lawmaker Links DHS Funding to Federal Killings of U.S. Citizens
In a scathing response to constituents, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has condemned the recent surge in federal immigration enforcement, labeling the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as “dangerous,” “unlawful,” and characteristic of “authoritarian regimes.”
The Senator’s comments come in the wake of two high-profile fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis this January—events that have ignited a firestorm in Washington and led to a stalemate over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.
The Human Cost of “Operation Metro Surge”
The letter details the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, two Americans killed during federal operations in Minnesota.
Renée Good: A 37-year-old mother who was shot and killed by an ICE officer on January 8. According to Booker, Good was unarmed and had just dropped her son off at school when she was struck by multiple rounds.
Alex Pretti: A 37-year-old intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen. On January 24, while filming federal agents, Pretti was pepper-sprayed, tackled, and shot at close range.
Booker emphasized that these were not isolated incidents but part of a broader “pattern of state violence.” He noted that two of the three homicides in Minneapolis in January were committed by federal law enforcement, not local criminals.
A “Rogue Squad” with “Impunity”
Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused the Trump administration of deviating from standard law enforcement procedures. He alleged that federal officials actively blocked local Minneapolis authorities from securing crime scenes or accessing crucial evidence.
Furthermore, Booker criticized the rhetoric coming from the White House, noting that high-ranking officials like Stephen Miller labeled the deceased citizens “domestic terrorists” before investigations were even completed. The Senator revealed that several Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have resigned rather than participate in what they viewed as “baseless attacks” on the victims’ families.
Data Challenges “Criminal” Narrative
Drawing on a November 2025 report from the Cato Institute, Booker challenged the administration’s claim that enforcement is focused on public safety threats.
Key Enforcement Statistics
According to the data cited by Senator Booker and recent reports from the Cato Institute:
Non-Criminal Detention: A staggering 73% of individuals currently held in ICE custody have no prior criminal convictions.
Surge in Low-Priority Arrests: There has been a 585% year-over-year increase in the arrest of individuals with no criminal record, challenging the administration’s “worst of the worst” narrative.
Rapid Personnel Expansion: The Department of Homeland Security is currently undergoing a hiring surge of over 12,000 new officers.
Reduced Oversight Training: To meet these hiring quotas, the standard training period for new agents has been slashed from 16 weeks to approximately 6.5 weeks.
“Thousands of individuals arrested... are working parents and long-standing members of their communities,” Booker wrote. “Many are children.”
The Funding Standoff
The Senator made it clear that Senate Democrats are holding the line on the DHS budget. Until “meaningful reforms” are implemented to rein in what he describes as “rogue” behavior by ICE and CBP, the department’s funding remains in jeopardy.
“We cannot, in good conscience, provide the resources or political cover that make these abuses possible,” Booker stated, framing the resistance as a defense of “American values of due process and the rule of law.”
The Jersey Signal Project will continue to monitor the impact of federal immigration policies on New Jersey communities and the ongoing investigations into the Minneapolis shootings.