The fallout from the deadly shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti has stirred a surprising division—not just in politics, but at home.
Senator John Fetterman, known for his vocal support of ICE and federal immigration enforcement, now finds himself publicly at odds with his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman.
Gisele, a former Second Lady of Pennsylvania and a longtime advocate for immigrant rights, condemned the actions of federal agents, calling the incident “cruel and un-American.”
Her statement came just days after 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot during a targeted immigration operation in Minneapolis, marking the second recent death of an American citizen at the hands of federal agents in the city.
Gisele Barreto Fetterman Speaks Out
Gisele took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her experience as a former undocumented immigrant from Brazil.
“For more than a decade, I lived undocumented in the U.S. Every day carried the same uncertainty and fear,” she wrote, describing the physical and emotional toll of living in hiding.
She continued: “What I thought was my private, chronic dread has now become a shared national wound. This now-daily violence is not ‘law and order.’
It is terror inflicted on people who contribute, love, and build their lives here. It’s devastatingly cruel and un-American.”
Her statement highlights a stark contrast with her husband’s repeated support for ICE and the aggressive enforcement policies that she experienced firsthand.
Fetterman’s Unwavering Support for ICE
Despite his wife’s public critique, Senator Fetterman has maintained a firm pro-ICE stance.
Over the past two years, he has defended federal agents against criticism, including during a July 2025 incident when an ICE facility in Texas was attacked.
“ICE agents are just doing their job and I fully support that,” Fetterman said at the time, dismissing calls from progressives to abolish the agency.
His support drew bipartisan attention. He even received public praise from President Trump during a White House meeting with African leaders, with Trump calling him “a commonsense person” and applauding his backing of law enforcement and border security initiatives.
The Political Backlash
Fetterman’s stance has not gone unnoticed within his own party.
Many Democrats were taken aback by his repeated defense of ICE, particularly since the progressive movement that helped elect him in 2022 often champions the slogan “Abolish ICE.”
His former campaign social media strategist, Annie Wu Henry, highlighted this contrast in a video, pointing out Fetterman’s previous admiration for his wife’s courage as an undocumented immigrant.
Despite this criticism, Fetterman continued to meet privately with Trump, most notably at Mar-a-Lago during the presidential transition in January 2025.
Both men walked away publicly praising each other, sharing views on border security, Middle East policy, and law enforcement.
The Minneapolis Shooting Sparks National Debate
The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent reignited the debate over federal immigration tactics.
Officials claim Pretti approached agents with a 9mm handgun, but local authorities and many Democrats condemned the aggressive enforcement style.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz pushed back, with Walz calling the federal response “overreach” and urging Trump to remove immigration agents from the state.
President Trump defended the federal agents, promising investigations and calling for stricter cooperation from state and local authorities.
He also pressed Congress to end sanctuary cities, arguing that lax local policies fueled such incidents.
Meanwhile, Walz accused Trump and other top officials of immediately smearing Pretti’s reputation and using the case to intimidate Minnesota communities.
A Nation Divided and a Senator Silent
While other senators issued statements condemning the use of lethal force, Fetterman has remained largely silent about Pretti’s death.
His silence stands in stark contrast to his public support for ICE, and it has amplified criticism from progressive Democrats and immigrant advocates.
As Gisele Barreto Fetterman’s voice rises in opposition, the senator now faces the dual pressures of defending federal enforcement policies while managing the growing public and private rift at home.
The incident underscores how immigration enforcement and political alignment can create tension not just nationally, but within families and local communities as well.
What Comes Next?
With federal investigations underway and Minneapolis authorities challenging ICE overreach, the nation watches closely.
Fetterman’s next moves—whether he maintains his silence, supports reform, or confronts his own contradictions—could redefine his political trajectory and further fuel the conversation on immigration enforcement in America.
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