This was unexpected to hear.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the White House needs to reassess how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is operating, warning that a growing lack of respect for federal law enforcement is leading to dangerous consequences.
Abbott made the remarks during a Monday interview with conservative radio host Mark Davis, following a second fatal shooting connected to anti-ICE unrest in Minneapolis. The governor placed much of the blame on Democrat leadership at the state and local level.
“These are law enforcement officers,” Abbott said. “The White House needs to recalibrate what’s being done to make sure respect for federal law enforcement is restored, especially under the current circumstances.”
Abbott emphasized that law and order cannot be maintained when political leaders openly criticize immigration enforcement while allowing violent protests to continue unchecked. He argued that ICE agents are being placed in impossible situations as hostility toward enforcement is encouraged rather than condemned.
According to Abbott, the Trump administration should fine-tune its approach to immigration enforcement so ICE can carry out its mission effectively without creating unnecessary street-level confrontations.
“I know they’re working on a plan to recalibrate and possibly approach this from a different direction,” Abbott said. “The original goal was clear — to remove people who are in this country illegally, many of whom were allowed in under Joe Biden, especially those who pose the greatest threat to public safety.”
The Texas governor directed sharp criticism toward Minnesota’s Democrat leadership, accusing Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inflaming tensions through repeated attacks on President Donald Trump and his border policies.
“The violence on the streets was fomented by the governor and the mayor,” Abbott said. “Their rhetoric helped create the conditions we’re seeing now.”
The comments come as immigration enforcement continues to dominate debate in Washington and among Republican lawmakers. Several GOP members of Congress are now calling for closer oversight of federal operations in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol agent over the weekend.
Democrats have claimed the unrest stems from aggressive federal enforcement actions and excessive force, arguing that local officials attempted to calm tensions after federal agents entered residential areas.
Abbott rejected that explanation, saying the real issue is a failure of leadership and a refusal to stand firmly behind law enforcement.
“This is the real problem in Minnesota,” Abbott said. “It’s not about enforcement — it’s about the lack of leadership.”