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Republican officials have criticized a former Biden administration official for a social media post about a child’s death in Border Patrol custody, pointing out that the incident occurred during President Biden’s term.
Andrew Bates, who previously served as Biden’s senior deputy press secretary, retweeted content from Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats about Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, an 8-year-old with sickle cell anemia and heart problems who died while in Border Patrol custody in 2023. Bates commented, “Not about Democrat or Republican/left or right. Just absolutely wrong.”
The post quickly drew backlash from Republican officials, who highlighted that the death occurred during the Biden administration’s tenure. Tim Murtaugh, former communications director for Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, responded sarcastically: “What’s remarkable, Andrew, is the level of pride you must have felt when posting this, completely unaware that it had happened while you worked in the White House yourself.”
Greg Price, who served as Trump White House rapid response manager in early 2025, pointedly asked Bates to recall “who was in charge of the country in 2023.”
Bates defended his position in a follow-up response, stating: “I stand by what I said. It’s horrible and shouldn’t have happened. What makes me proud is that the American people are rejecting the cruelty that ICE is forcing on Americans and immigrants, putting all of us in danger.”
This exchange occurs amid heightened scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis, particularly “Operation Metro Surge” that began in December 2025. The operation has deployed thousands of ICE agents to the city and has been marked by controversy, including the recent detention of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his Ecuadorian father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos, who are currently being held at a Texas immigration detention facility.
Public concern has intensified following two fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota. On January 24, two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a Department of Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, while he was recording immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The agents have been placed on administrative leave, following agency protocol.
This incident followed the earlier shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent. The Department of Homeland Security has characterized both shootings as acts of “self-defense,” though Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche confirmed that the Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death.
Public opinion appears to be shifting against the enforcement tactics being employed. A recent Fox News poll revealed that 59% of voters believe ICE’s immigration efforts are “too aggressive,” representing a significant increase from the 49% who expressed this view in July 2025.
The immigration enforcement debate has become increasingly contentious, with critics arguing that current tactics are overly harsh and endanger both immigrants and American citizens. Supporters maintain that strict enforcement is necessary to address illegal immigration.
The controversy underscores the complex political dynamics surrounding immigration policy in America, with both parties attempting to navigate the issue ahead of upcoming electoral contests while responding to incidents that have inflamed public sentiment on both sides of the debate.
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5 Comments
This is a tragic situation that deserves serious, nonpartisan attention. No child should die in government custody, regardless of the administration in power. The focus should be on improving policies and procedures to prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future.
I agree, this is not about political affiliation but about basic human rights and dignity. Hopefully lessons can be learned to protect vulnerable children in the immigration system.
While the death of this child is deeply concerning, playing political ‘gotcha’ games is unproductive. All sides should work together to investigate what happened and make necessary reforms to prevent such tragedies going forward.
Exactly. This is not the time for partisan finger-pointing. The priority should be finding ways to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in government custody, no matter which party is in power.
The death of this child is undoubtedly tragic, but the partisan bickering is disappointing. Elected officials from both parties should be focused on understanding what went wrong and making concrete policy changes to protect vulnerable immigrants, especially children.