Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) sharply criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents following a shooting incident in Minnesota, calling for firings and accusing the Trump administration of deploying “undertrained and ill-equipped goon squads”—comments made while an official investigation was still underway and as protests began forming in the state.

In multiple posts on X, Gallego demanded the immediate dismissal of ICE officers who allegedly prevented a doctor from rendering aid after the shooting.

“Every ICE officer that did not allow the doctor to render aid needs to be fired,” Gallego wrote. “Every professional law enforcement officer is trained to render aid when necessary.”

Gallego described the incident as “a disgrace” and asserted that the agent involved lacked proper training, attributing responsibility to Trump adviser Stephen Miller and what he characterized as a rapid hiring push within ICE.

“It’s clear that that agent didn’t have the proper training,” Gallego wrote, “and that’s because Stephen Miller is going full speed ahead to hire as many agents as possible.”

At the time Gallego issued his statements, no final investigative findings had been released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Department of Homeland Security. ICE had not publicly confirmed whether agents violated protocol, whether the scene remained unsecured, or whether restricting access to civilians was consistent with post-shooting procedures.

Despite the lack of official findings, Gallego publicly characterized the agents’ actions as misconduct and called for their termination before any internal or external review is completed.

Gallego’s comments coincide with protests emerging in Minnesota over the incident. State officials confirmed that the Minnesota National Guard had been placed on standby as a precautionary measure in case unrest escalates.

The senator’s response aligns with his longstanding public opposition to ICE enforcement operations. During the 2018 national debate over immigration policy, Gallego said ICE needed to be “rethought from top to bottom,” arguing that “as it exists today, it’s doing more harm than good.” He has also stated that “ICE has become an agency that terrorizes immigrant communities,” and more recently criticized agent conduct and visibility, writing, “There is zero reason ICE agents should be hiding their faces or identities.” In a separate press release, Gallego accused ICE of abusing its authority, stating, “In Trump’s America, citizens are being thrown into detention centers just because of how they look… It’s outrageous and illegal.”

As of publication, the investigation remained ongoing. Federal officials have not released a complete public account of the shooting.

This remains a developing story.