FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2026
January 26, 2026
AFGE Communications: [email protected]
AFGE Demands Resignation or Termination of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller for Smearing Slain AFGE Member Alex Pretti as “Domestic Terrorist”
Largest federal employee union calls for independent third-party investigation and bipartisan congressional oversight to uncover the truth
WASHINGTON – Following the killing of AFGE Member Alex Pretti and the subsequent slanderous rhetoric that followed from top Trump administration officials, AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:
“Yesterday, AFGE brought together labor and faith leaders from Minneapolis and across the nation to mourn our fallen brother from Local 3669, Alex Pretti. We honored his life and legacy and lifted up his family, his friends, his union, Minneapolis, and our nation in prayer.
“Today, we demand accountability.
“In the immediate aftermath of Alex’s killing, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem betrayed the public trust by slandering the good name of our union brother and calling him a “domestic terrorist.” Alex Pretti was a patriotic ICU nurse at a VA hospital who devoted his life to serving America’s veterans. That claim was reckless, defamatory, and unsupported by the facts. Noem was preceded in this false statement by Stephen Miller, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, who is also the architect of the chaotic and failed immigration policy in Minnesota.
“Our demand is clear: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was responsible for carrying out the policy that led to Alex’s needless killing, and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the architect of that policy, must resign immediately. If they refuse, President Trump must dismiss them.
“Public reporting has established that Mr. Miller is the driving force behind the administration’s harsh immigration agenda. He personally directed its implementation and used high-pressure tactics to force compliance across the federal government. These were not abstract policy choices. They were imposed from the top and enforced without regard for the consequences.
“Secretary Noem willingly carried out this agenda. Secretary Noem made deliberate choices that reshaped the Department of Homeland Security and enabled this tragedy. Over the past year, she removed senior leaders, consolidated authority, and enforced aggressive immigration tactics that prioritized political objectives over professional judgment and public/officer safety. Those choices created the conditions that led directly to this tragedy.
“This conduct is consistent with Secretary Noem’s broader record at DHS. Under her leadership, TSA workers have faced sustained attacks on collective bargaining rights and union representation. At FEMA her actions have weakened frontline workers, undermined labor protections, and eroded accountability within the agency that is so critical to disaster preparedness and response. Over the past year, she removed senior leaders within the Department of Homeland Security and reshaped the agency’s command structure to ensure adherence to Mr. Miller’s aggressive immigration strategies. Those decisions escalated tensions, undermined professional judgment, and put lives at risk.
“Taken together, the actions of Miller and Noem, both before and after Alex’s killing, make clear they are unfit to serve in their current positions, or any position requiring the public trust.
“AFGE calls for a full and transparent investigation into Alex’s killing led by an independent third party. We also call for bipartisan congressional oversight to uncover the truth, ensure accountability, and begin repairing the damage to public trust.”
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