Trump hires new border czar after fatal shootings in Minneapolis

U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino is expected to leave Minneapolis as the Trump administration reshuffles leadership of its immigration enforcement operation, and scales back the federal presence after a second fatal shooting by federal officers. This after a federal judge had questioned the government's motivation behind the crackdown.

White House said the shooting and killing by federal immigration officers of Minneapolis protesters occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America's streets. This includes Renee Good, Alex Pretti, the brave men and women of federal law enforcement, and the many Americans who have been victimised at the hands of illegal alien criminals. Saturday's shooting remains under active investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. The Customs and Border Protection is also conducting their own internal review. As President Trump said yesterday, the administration is reviewing everything with respect to the shooting, and we will let that investigation play out. But let's be clear about the circumstances which led to that moment on Saturday. This tragedy occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota."

This as a federal judge heard arguments Monday over Minnesota's challenge to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement crackdown.

US District Judge Katherine Menendez is considering whether to grant requests by the state and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to temporarily halt the immigration operation.

Steve Karnowski of The Associated Press said: "The state essentially wants to return the situation to where it was before the federal government surged in ICE and border patrol officers at the beginning of December."

Meanwhile in Maple Grove Minnesota, demonstrators were outside the hotel where they believed U.S. Border Patrol head Greg Bovino was staying.

Police told the protesters that the demonstration was an unlawful assembly and ordered them to disperse.

President Trump said he was placing his border czar Tom Homan in charge of the mission, after Bovino drew condemnation for claiming the man who was killed Alex Pretti had been planning to massacre law enforcement officers, a characterisation that authorities had not substantiated.