01/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/30/2026 13:09
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) Joseph Cuffari to discuss the urgent need to conduct an independent investigation into the egregious public execution of Alex Pretti and pattern of brutality from Trump's lawless agents. The meeting comes after Duckworth repeatedly called on DHS and the Department of Justice IGs to establish a joint task force to investigate these abuses. Shamefully, just days before Trump's agents murdered Alex Pretti, the DHS and DOJ OIGs-both of whom Trump appointed-denied Duckworth's request.
"Alex Pretti was publicly executed while trying to protect a woman from being assaulted-just two weeks after Trump's agents had already gunned down another citizen in Minneapolis. The American people are crying out for accountability-and the Trump Administration has proven that it cannot be trusted to investigate their own untrained, unhinged agents. IG Cuffari was clear that his office has the experience, expertise and most importantly, independence, to conduct investigations into all use of force incidents-including regularly investigating Border Patrol and ICE use of force. If IG Cuffari is as serious about the need for independent investigations as he told me he is, then he must put his words into action. That's what this moment demands and what the American people deserve."
Earlier today, Duckworth voted against the DHS funding bill that lacked the common-sense, reasonable safeguards Democrats are calling for to address the vicious abuses our nation is seeing from Trump's lawless agents in Chicago, Minneapolis and across the country.
-30-