Kansas
Kansas Congress Members Express Alarm at Lethal Force by Federal Agents
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt of Kansas expressed various shades of alarm about fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents taking part in an aggressive immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
The death Saturday of Alex Pretti, who worked as a nurse for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, followed the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, which set off widespread protests.
“I am deeply troubled by the shootings in Minneapolis involving federal agents. Our constitution provides citizens protection from the government. We have a right to free speech, to peaceably assemble and to bear arms,” said Moran, a Republican who has served Kansans in Washington for three decades.
He said people in the United States expected government to thwart lawless behavior, including illegal immigration. He said that job required local, state and federal officials to work together on upholding the law.
“Law enforcement must reflect our nation’s values and citizens should obey the law,” said Moran, an attorney. “This tragic circumstance should be investigated to the fullest extent to ensure transparency and accountability.”
Davids, a Democrat representing the 3rd District of eastern Kansas, said she was “angry and heartbroken” by Pretti’s death. She said “this shouldn’t be who we are as a country” and urged the administration of President Donald Trump to halt the bloodshed.
“People should feel safe in their own communities, but right now families are afraid to leave their homes and communities are living in fear,” she said. “One killing is too many, but after two fatal shootings in recent weeks, this administration must answer for what happened and take immediate, concrete action to stop the senseless killing.”
Davids, also an attorney, said local law enforcement should be left to protect neighborhoods without the overbearing presence of “masked, militarized federal agents operating with zero transparency.”
Sustaining rule of law
Schmidt, the Kansas Republican serving his first term as 2nd District congressman, said U.S. immigration law had to be enforced in a manner respectful of constitutional boundaries. He said deadly shootings by federal officers in Minneapolis required rigorous investigation.
“In my view, there needs to be a transparent and thorough review and factfinding regarding the officer involved shootings in Minnesota — as there should be in every officer involved shooting anywhere,” said Schmidt, who served a dozen years as Kansas’ attorney general. “Enforcing the law professionally and with clear focus and common sense is vital to public confidence in the rule of law.”
Schmidt said reported actions by some federal officials and the alleged lack of cooperation among state officials was distressing. Difficulty enforcing U.S. immigration law was tied to decisions by President Joe Biden to allow millions of people into the country “illegally,” the congressman said.
Schmidt said Congress must fund body cameras and better training for personnel at U.S. Immigration and Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He said he would continue to raise questions about use by ICE or CBP of administrative, rather than judicial, warrants to enter homes.
Three Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes — didn’t respond to requests for comment about violence in Minnesota.
Christy Davis, a Democrat from Cottonwood Falls seeking to oust Marshall in 2026, said video images of federal agents confronting Pretti should challenge the government’s use of lethal force. She said the Trump administration had to be held accountable for unnecessary loss of life.
“If Senator Marshall is unwilling to call out the Trump administration for the use of militarized force against people in our communities, then he is failing in his duty as a U.S. senator,” Davis said. “The footage is horrifying and impossible to justify. This was not about public safety. It was unchecked violence carried out by a system that has abandoned accountability.”
‘Armed thugs’
Don Coover, a Democrat from Galesburg campaigning this year to challenge Schmidt in the 2nd District, said the federal crackdown ended up targeting people exercising constitutional rights of assembly and speech, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, the right to a fair and speedy trial, and the right to bear arms. He placed responsibility for failed leadership in Minneapolis with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE.
“As a West Point graduate and Army veteran, I am appalled at what we are seeing in our own country,” he said. “Apparently, ICE is now a band of out-of-control armed thugs that feel they are free to shoot American citizens that they violently disarm. The leaders of ICE and DHS feel free to make up stories unrelated to the facts that justify the execution of citizens they encounter in the streets.”
He asserted federal officials were acting “brazenly and openly” outside the law because Congress and the courts were “apparently afraid to fulfill their obligations.”
In the 4th District held by Estes, Democratic candidate Chris Carmichael said he was “deeply saddened and outraged” by the deaths of Pretti and Good. He said the U.S. Constitution couldn’t be abandoned simply because a federal agent chose to detain someone.
“We all know right from wrong and what is happening is simply wrong,” said Carmichael, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. “What we are seeing from our current representatives right now would never be acceptable in the military. When lives are at stake, silence is not neutrality — it is failure.”
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Story via Kansas Reflector
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Boeing is making a billion-dollar investment in its Wichita location over the next three years, the company announced Monday.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the investment will be used to upgrade facilities, expand employee training and strengthen the production system.
He said this will prepare the facility for a higher production rate, especially as Boeing tries to keep up with a record-high demand. The company is currently sitting on a backlog of 6,100 commercial planes, valued at $695 billion.
“It’s going to take the skills and capabilities of all of you to help us deliver on our record backlogs and meet the growing demand in aerospace,” Ortberg said. “And I know the 13,000 Wichita teammates are ready to deliver on that promise.”
There could be even more work coming to the facility. Reuters reported that Ortberg will be going to China with President Donald Trump and a few other leaders in the tech industry to talk about trade and investment opportunities.
Lt. Gov. David Toland said that more work at the company will help the Wichita economy and that it is up to the city to build up the workforce.
“We’ve got a company that’s put its money where its mouth is,” Toland said. “And as Kansans, as Wichitans, it’s on us now that we’re continuing to skill up our workforce, that we’re creating the talent pipeline that’s essential to allowing companies like Boeing to continue growing.”
Over the past several years, Wichita has invested in the aviation workforce. This includes expanding aviation education at WSU Tech and tapping students in WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research to help with federal projects like the “Golden Dome” missile defense shield.
Last week, Boeing and WSU Tech announced a new partnership to build a workforce training center that will be a hub for Boeing’s Wichita workforce.
Sen. Jerry Moran hopes Boeing’s investments will ease concerns or caution surrounding the company’s return to Wichita and build on the city’s reputation in the aviation industry.
“You’ve heard me say that people come here and we convince them that this is the Air Capital of the World,” Moran said. “I don’t think we need any more convincing. This is now known. We are the Air Capital of the World.”
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Gage Workman came off the bench and hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot that sent the Detroit Tigers past the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Sunday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Matt Vierling had a two-run double and Riley Greene reached safely four times as the Tigers prevented a three-game sweep.
Called up hours earlier from Triple-A Toledo when Kerry Carpenter was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder sprain, Workman entered as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning.
Workman drove a 1-1 slider from Nick Mears (2-2) to right field to give Detroit a 5-3 lead.
Wenceel Pérez added an RBI single in the seventh.
Enmanuel De Jesus (2-0), the fourth of six Tigers pitchers, retired all seven batters he faced. Kenley Jansen struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 483rd career save and seventh this season.
Kansas City lost for only the third time in 10 games.
Hao-Yu Lee’s two-out RBI triple off the outstretched glove of Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone opened the scoring in the second. Zack Short walked and Vierling delivered a two-run double off the left-field wall to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
In the third, Kansas City greeted reliever Drew Anderson with three straight hits, scoring their first run on a hit-and-run, opposite-field single by Vinnie Pasquantino, and another on Carter Jensen’s sacrifice fly.
In the fourth, Caglianone doubled to left-center and scored the tying run on Maikel Garcia’s third hit, a two-out single to center.
Royals starter Noah Cameron exited after allowing a leadoff hit in the fifth on his 95th pitch. He allowed three runs and five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
The top three Kansas City batters combined for seven of the team’s eight hits.
Greene has reached base safely in a career-best 21 consecutive games. In 27 games since April 11, he is batting .384 with 13 extra-base hits.
Up next
Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (0-3, 5.56 ERA) faces Mets RHP Freddy Peralta (2-3, 3.12) on Tuesday night in New York.
Royals RHP Stephen Kolek (1-0, 4.50 ERA) pitches Tuesday in Chicago against White Sox RHP Erick Fedde (0-4, 3.79).
Four teens hurt in southeast Kansas rollover
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Four teenagers are hurt after being in a rollover crash on Sunday.
The Kansas Highway Patrol said a 16-year-old girl was behind the wheel of a Jeep. She went off the road, hit a culvert and rolled.
The crash happened just after midnight near the intersection of North 150th and North streets, northeast of Girard.
Man dead after downtown Wichita shooting
Two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old were passengers in the Jeep. All four teens were hurt and taken to the hospital after the crash.
The driver received suspected serious injuries, and the rest received suspected minor injuries.
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