CBP's Response to Congress's Questions on Fatal Shooting of Alex Pretti Reveals Agency's Lack of Transparency.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has sent its responses to a list of questions from House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over DHS, instead of providing a mandated report on the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The agency had drafted the questions itself, but failed to provide clear answers, revealing a lack of transparency.
The questions drafted by CBP include whether agents were wearing body cameras, what training Border Patrol agents receive on de-escalation and use of force, and whether the immigrant being targeted had a final order of removal. However, instead of answering these questions directly, CBP responds that it defers to investigating agencies or provides vague statements.
For example, when asked if witnesses were detained, CBP responds that "CBP defers to the investigating agencies on witnesses. Other agitators were detained on scene." Similarly, when asked if the suspect's gun was loaded, CBP responds that "CBP can confirm that the subject's gun was loaded, 2 additional magazines on we found on the subject."
The lack of transparency from CBP is alarming, especially given the agency's history of violence and aggression against immigrants and protesters. The incident in Minneapolis has raised concerns about the use of force by federal agents and the need for greater accountability.
In a statement, a CBP spokesperson said that death-in-custody notices reflect standard lawful procedure and provide factual reports, not analytical judgments. However, critics argue that this response only serves to conceal the truth and undermine trust in government agencies.
The incident has also sparked calls for legislation to limit the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents and require DHS to track use of force incidents. The Intercept has reported on similar cases of excessive use of force by federal agents, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability.
As Congress continues to investigate the shooting, it is essential that agencies like CBP provide clear and transparent answers to questions about their actions. Anything less perpetuates a culture of secrecy and intimidation, which can have devastating consequences for vulnerable communities.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has sent its responses to a list of questions from House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over DHS, instead of providing a mandated report on the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The agency had drafted the questions itself, but failed to provide clear answers, revealing a lack of transparency.
The questions drafted by CBP include whether agents were wearing body cameras, what training Border Patrol agents receive on de-escalation and use of force, and whether the immigrant being targeted had a final order of removal. However, instead of answering these questions directly, CBP responds that it defers to investigating agencies or provides vague statements.
For example, when asked if witnesses were detained, CBP responds that "CBP defers to the investigating agencies on witnesses. Other agitators were detained on scene." Similarly, when asked if the suspect's gun was loaded, CBP responds that "CBP can confirm that the subject's gun was loaded, 2 additional magazines on we found on the subject."
The lack of transparency from CBP is alarming, especially given the agency's history of violence and aggression against immigrants and protesters. The incident in Minneapolis has raised concerns about the use of force by federal agents and the need for greater accountability.
In a statement, a CBP spokesperson said that death-in-custody notices reflect standard lawful procedure and provide factual reports, not analytical judgments. However, critics argue that this response only serves to conceal the truth and undermine trust in government agencies.
The incident has also sparked calls for legislation to limit the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents and require DHS to track use of force incidents. The Intercept has reported on similar cases of excessive use of force by federal agents, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability.
As Congress continues to investigate the shooting, it is essential that agencies like CBP provide clear and transparent answers to questions about their actions. Anything less perpetuates a culture of secrecy and intimidation, which can have devastating consequences for vulnerable communities.
they're literally dodgin da questionz like its nobodi's bizness lol dey just ravin about death-in-custody notices & standard procedure but cmon, da truth is out dere... agents wernt wearin body cams & werent trained on de-escalation tactics 2 handle situations like dis 
its all about coverin up & makin us think its just part of da job 
we need more transparency & accountability or else ppl will keep losin faith in these agenctz 
like they're hiding something 
CBP's lack of transparency is literally mind-boggling...I mean, what are we supposed to think when they just say "we defer to investigating agencies" 
? It sounds like a total cop-out 
. And those additional magazines on the suspect?? 
what does that even have to do with anything?! 
I'm so fed up with this whole situation! Can't believe CBP is dodging the question on Alex Pretti's fatal shooting 
. We need to know what really happened that day, not just some vague statements from a spokesperson 
. It's time for Congress to hold them accountable and pass some legislation to limit the use of force by DHS agents 
. This is exactly why we need more scrutiny on these agencies – they're supposed to be serving and protecting us, not hiding behind secrecy 
. We need to know what really went down here.
. The government can't just sweep things under the rug or silence us with empty statements 
. Maybe some legislation would help? Like, tracking use of force incidents and limiting the use of excessive force by DHS agents sounds like a good idea to me 
.
. We deserve better, and we need to demand transparency and accountability from our government agencies 
. Let's keep pushing for change until we get some real answers 
!
and now they're trying to cover it up by saying the immigrant being targeted had a final order of removal... which is just ridiculous, who cares about that right now?! the real question is what happened in those 5 seconds before alex pretti got shot 
anyway, this whole thing is super concerning and we need more accountability from these agencies ASAP 