In a phone interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump appeared open to the idea of withdrawing federal immigration authorities from Minneapolis, but without specifying a timeline.
"At some point, we're going to leave. They've done a phenomenal job," the US president said.
He has announced that he is sending his administration's "border czar", Tom Homan, to Minnesota, as calls for a full investigation into the killing of Alex Preti on Saturday have increased and protests have taken on large proportions.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly supported Homan and says he will remove "violent, criminal and illegal aliens" from Minnesota's streets.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt says the president has "full confidence" in Noem, as Republican lawmakers pressure the Trump administration to more fully investigate Pratt's death.
Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was shot and killed Saturday during a standoff with Border Patrol, the second killing in Minneapolis by federal agents this month.
Noem claims that Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a “semi-automatic pistol” and “reacted violently,” but local authorities dispute this version of events.
