Sen. Ricketts Addresses ICE Investigation, Government Shutdown, and Second Amendment

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts addressed a wide range of national issues Wednesday during a press conference, touching on the federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota, the threat of a potential government shutdown, and Second Amendment rights.

Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed over the weekend during a federal enforcement operation. Ricketts called the incident unfortunate and said the investigation should continue.

The senator also weighed in on the threat of a partial government shutdown.

“I would urge my Democrat colleagues not to shut down the government. They are threatening to do so right now. It doesn’t really make any sense. The Democrats just took us through the longest government shutdown in our country’s history,” Ricketts said.

He warned that funding for the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA disaster relief, could be jeopardized, particularly after recent snowstorms in the eastern U.S.

Ricketts defended ICE operations amid criticism, noting that proposed funding includes body cameras and de-escalation training. “The functions of ICE are not going to be impacted by a shutdown. So they are not even accomplishing what they hope to do,” he said.

When asked about calls for the resignation of officials such as Kristi Noem and Steven Miller over ICE-related incidents, he said he fully supports the administration. “Noem is doing a big job, and illegal crossings are down 95%. People want to know the answers to it, but we should also make sure that the investigation is done,” he said.

On Second Amendment rights, Ricketts said, “Yes, absolutely. The Second Amendment is something we all share. Nebraska is a constitutional carry state, but again, it is a fundamental right, as long as you are acting within the parameters of state law.”