Abbott Calls for ICE to “Recalibrate” Following Deadly Minneapolis Shootings
Texas Governor’s Comments Come Amid Escalating Tensions Over Immigration Enforcement
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is urging the White House to reconsider its immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents in Minneapolis.
The Republican governor’s call for a tactical shift represents a rare moment of criticism from one of the Trump administration’s staunchest supporters on immigration policy.
Speaking Monday on conservative radio host Mark Davis’ show, Abbott emphasized that immigration authorities should focus on removing individuals who are in the country illegally, while simultaneously defending ICE agents as law enforcement officers deserving of respect.
That’s not stopping Abbott from using the controversy to raise campaign funds.
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Minnesota Tensions Boil Over
The shootings that prompted Abbott’s comments have transformed Minneapolis into a flashpoint in the national immigration debate. On Saturday, Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was protesting federal immigration operations. This marked the second deadly shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota this month, following the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good during an ICE operation.
While defending federal agents’ right to conduct operations, Abbott acknowledged the need for authorities to work “in a more structured way” to avoid the conflicts currently erupting in communities. However, the governor placed most blame on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership, accusing Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inciting violence through their criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Texas Leaders Divided Along Party Lines
The response from Texas political leaders has fallen along predictable partisan lines.
Senator Ted Cruz struck a cautious tone during a podcast recording, calling the shooting “tragic” but suggesting that Pretti bore some responsibility for bringing a firearm to the protest. Cruz stated he would wait for investigation results before fully weighing in, though he echoed Abbott’s criticism of Minnesota’s Democratic leaders.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire took a more measured approach, stating his administration is handling immigration issues as responsibly as possible while noting that other major cities are “in turmoil.”
Texas Democrats, meanwhile, have condemned the shootings forcefully. Eight members of Texas’ House Democratic Caucus are backing a resolution calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, including Representatives Jasmine Crockett, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Greg Casar, Al Green, Sylvia Garcia, and Joaquin Castro.
Crockett and state Representative James Talarico, who are competing in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, called for overhauling Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a debate just hours after Pretti’s death. Crockett has been particularly vocal, warning that nationwide protests will erupt without accountability for the officers involved.
ICE is a threat to public safety.
— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) January 26, 2026
Killing U.S. citizens. Kidnapping Americans. Ignoring the Constitution.
That’s not law enforcement — that’s weaponization and abuse of power.
And the cruelty starts at the top. pic.twitter.com/sG78A7UPtR
The Detention of 5-Year-Old Liam Ramos
Adding fuel to the controversy, a five-year-old boy from Minnesota is currently being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, about 70 miles south of San Antonio. Liam Conejo Ramos was taken into custody alongside his father on Tuesday in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, as he arrived home from preschool.
The circumstances surrounding Liam’s detention remain disputed. School Superintendent Zena Stenvik said ICE agents refused to let other adults at the home care for the child and used him to knock on the family’s door, “essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected this characterization, stating the father abandoned the child when he fled and later requested the boy stay with him.
The family’s attorney, Marc Prokosch, maintains that the father and son entered the country legally through asylum channels and were following all required protocols. Prokosch emphasized that immigration violations are civil in nature and questioned how detaining a child for such violations could be justified.
On Saturday, a protest erupted at the Dilley facility where approximately 1,500 detainees, many of them children, chanted “Libertad” (Freedom). Immigration attorney Eric Lee, who witnessed the demonstration, described guards as “just as tough as the guards at the adult facilities” and said the protest was triggered by news from Minneapolis and concerns over Liam’s treatment.
Children and women chanting “let us out” at the Dilley Concentration Center that Trump has set up in Texas, as they apparently wear color-coded jackets.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 26, 2026
It’s like a scene from “The Handmaid’s Tale” or 1930s Germany. pic.twitter.com/HhqikVcyri
National Implications
The events in Minnesota have exposed growing tensions within the Republican Party over immigration enforcement tactics.
“Americans do not want chaos. They want a common-sense bipartisan solution.” — Rep. Mike Lawler, (R -NY)
OPINION: Mike Lawler, a Republican, represents New York’s 17th Congressional District. (New York Times)
While most GOP leaders continue to support the Trump administration’s approach, some Republicans are calling for deeper investigations. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino has requested testimony from ICE and Border Patrol leaders, and senators including Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Susan Collins of Maine have pressed for more information.
Abbott’s position reflects this delicate balance—supporting aggressive immigration enforcement while acknowledging that current tactics may be undermining public trust. His assertion that Texas leads the nation in ICE removals without experiencing similar conflicts suggests he believes the Minnesota operations could be handled more effectively.
As federal immigration operations continue across the country, the debate over enforcement tactics shows no signs of abating. For Texas leaders, the challenge lies in reconciling support for border security with concerns about the methods being employed to achieve it.
Reported ICE activity Monday on Interstate 35 at the corner of SH 45 in Round Rock.
Amid swirling concerns and social media rumors of ramped-up U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Austin – including a possible focus on warming centers during a brutal winter storm – Mayor Kirk Watson said he has been told federal agents are conducting only “regular” operations.
KXAN-TV
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(Episode from January 26, 2026)
Austin and Central Texas continue to thaw out after the weekend’s sleet and ice storm combined with extreme cold temperatures.
Monday was a rough day on area roads and sidewalks.
Icy conditions are still an issue in Austin. This was taken in Westlake Monday. Be safe out there! 📸: Tucker Wise pic.twitter.com/TgTI3WSb5r
— Nabil Brent Remadna KXAN (@RemadnaKXAN) January 27, 2026
Area schools, government offices and services and mass transit continue to be affected.
A local blood donation center is in need but has limited hours today.
How did Austin’s airport fare during the winter weather?
Austin receiving more sleet than ice over the weekend was the reason Austin Energy reported very few outages.
Statewide, ERCOT held up.
Despite dangerous conditions on the roadways and sub-freezing temperatures, Austin Travis County EMS was able to respond to the influx of calls for help.
The City of Austin saw a record number of people seeking shelter from the cold over the weekend and last night.
Although not everything went smoothly at some shelters.
From Austin American-Statesman.
A large fire tore through an apartment building in Bee Cave on Monday morning, affecting 20 units and displacing 45 residents.
AFD also responded a house fire Monday.
A person on a motorcycle died in a crash on I-35 last night.
Austin City Council will soon decide whether to send a bond proposal to voters later this year. This comes as City Hall works to restore public confidence after Proposition Q’s failure. (Austin City Current)
Austin’s new Wishbone Bridge will open February 7.
The Austin Blues Festival is returning to ACL Live.
Native Texan and country icon George Strait has announced shows at Moody Center.
However, tickets aren’t cheap. Or even affordable.
WEATHER
MONDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Another record-breaking low temperature Monday at ABIA, besting the previous record of 24 degrees in 2011.
CAMP MABRY
A record low at Camp Mabry barely beat the old record of 20 degrees in 1904.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Governor Abbott said Monday that his administration is examining whether Texas taxpayer dollars are being used in connection with employees working under H-1B visas at public K-12 schools and universities. (Texas Tribune)
The Texas American Federation of Teachers is asking a judge to order the state to stop investigating educators accused of making inappropriate comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
As of January 3, more than 4.1 million Texans had enrolled in a health plan via HealthCare.gov, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). That’s a record for Texas. These early numbers come as a surprise to some policy experts who predicted skyrocketing premiums would influence many Texans to forgo insurance in 2026. (KUT 90.5)
Part two of a conversation about upcoming primaries, co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina examine growing turbulence inside the Texas Republican Party as the state heads toward another high-stakes election season. With multiple open races, crowded fields, and deep ideological divisions, the primaries may do more than choose nominees — they could shape the party’s future.
(Episode from January 26, 2026)
(Episode from January 13, 2026)
As President Trump marks one year back in office, his EPA has proposed rolling back key air and climate protections, which experts say has already begun to strain Texas’s air quality and public health. (Texas Standard)
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has re-arrested 46-year-old Joel Garza following a forensic extraction of digital evidence that uncovered child pornography on his personal devices.
According to a new report, Tara Arnold, a senior attorney at the Houston-based personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin and the wife of co-founder Kurt Arnold, were among those killed in the fatal plane crash in Maine that took off from Houston on Sunday.
The pilot of the plane was also from the Houston area.
SPORTS
NBA: Of the three Texas teams, only the Houston Rockets played Monday night and they came away with a W.
Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant each scored 33 points as the Houston Rockets broke open a close game in the fourth quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 108-99 on Monday night. (NBC Sports)
Houston, Dallas and San Antonio all have the day off today.
NHL: The Dallas Stars are in St. Louis tonight.
Texas Sports Unfiltered | LIVE STREAM | 1/27/26 | Texas Football | NFL | Austin Sports Talk
Road trip to West Texas!
