The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal employee union, is demanding the resignation or termination of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller following the killing of union member Alex Pretti.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley said the union is also calling for an independent third-party investigation and bipartisan congressional oversight to determine the circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death and the federal policies that preceded it.
Pretti, a member of AFGE Local 3669, was an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Minnesota. According to the union, he was killed as a result of enforcement actions connected to federal immigration operations. In the aftermath, senior Trump administration officials publicly described Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” a characterization AFGE says was false and defamatory.
“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,’” Kelley said in a statement. “Alex Pretti was a patriotic ICU nurse at a VA hospital who devoted his life to serving America’s veterans.”
Kristi Noem is a complete ignoramus. If getting in a scuffle with federal agents makes someone a "domestic terrorist," then January 6 must've been the biggest "terrorist attack" in American history pic.twitter.com/7VAlPu78Jr
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 25, 2026
Kelley said Stephen Miller made similar claims before Noem and described him as the architect of the administration’s immigration policies in Minnesota. AFGE argues that both officials bear responsibility for policies that led to Pretti’s death.
A domestic terrorist tried to assassinate federal law enforcement and this is your response? You and the state’s entire Democrat leadership team have been flaming the flames of insurrection for the singular purpose of stopping the deportation of illegals who invaded the country. https://t.co/tCQiGKo1Qo
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) January 24, 2026
“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,” Kelley said. “If they refuse, President Trump must dismiss them.”
The union said Miller personally directed the administration’s immigration agenda and used pressure tactics across the federal government to enforce it. AFGE also accused Noem of restructuring DHS leadership and prioritizing political goals over public and officer safety.
According to the union, Noem removed senior DHS leaders, consolidated authority, and implemented aggressive immigration tactics that escalated tensions and undermined professional judgment. AFGE also cited actions affecting workers at TSA and FEMA, claiming her leadership weakened labor protections and accountability at both agencies.
“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,” Kelley said.
AFGE said it is seeking a full, transparent investigation led by an independent party, along with bipartisan congressional oversight, to establish the facts surrounding Pretti’s death and the federal response to it.
The union said it gathered with labor and faith leaders in Minneapolis to honor Pretti’s life and to support his family and coworkers. Kelley said the union would continue pressing for accountability and policy changes following the incident.
