Public patience with politicians seen as friendly to Immigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be wearing thin.
Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman encountered sharp backlash Tuesday night at Casper College, where a frustrated audience pressed the MAGA-aligned lawmaker over the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good at the hands of ICE agents. The exchange grew so tense that Hageman ultimately left the room amid loud jeers.
“I’m a student here at CC, and I was here at the last town hall back in August. You mentioned Laken Riley,” a male student said, referencing the 22-year-old killed in 2024 by a Venezuelan immigrant. “However, you did not mention today either of the people who were killed in Minnesota recently. Why is that?”
Video published by WyoFile shows the question immediately drawing a loud reaction from the crowd. One older man yelled, “shot 10 times in the back,” referring to the number of times Pretti was struck by gunfire.
“When I was speaking in August I was describing the Laken Riley Act that we had passed earlier in the year,” Hageman replied, before the student interrupted her.
“That’s not the question. Why haven’t you mentioned either of the people killed in Minnesota?” he asked again.
“Let me answer the question. I spoke about Laken Riley because it was one of the bills that we passed. I haven’t talked about what’s happening in Minnesota today,” Hageman said.
That response only intensified the anger in the room.
“Yeah, why is that?” the student shot back. “Why haven’t you said that you condemn the violence or given condolences to the families of the victims?”
Others in attendance then began raising additional concerns tied to ICE, including claims that the agency has effectively become the administration’s “secret police.”
“Woah, OK,” Hageman said, as the student again pressed her to explain her silence on what critics described as state-sponsored violence in Minnesota.
“So I think what has happened in Minnesota is a terrible tragedy for the woman and the man who were killed,” Hageman said.
Casper resident Allyse Taylor followed up, questioning why Hageman had not spoken publicly about alleged Fourth Amendment violations by ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers entering homes without warrants.
“I’m not sure that I trust your facts,” Hageman replied, prompting boos from the audience. “It is all over the internet. What do you have to say about that constitutional violation?” Taylor asked.
“I think that I have to look at the investigation,” Hageman said. “If there were violations of someone’s constitutional rights, there is redress.”
“Then why is there no redress?” Taylor responded. “Why are you not calling for transparency with what these people are doing? ICE, DHS, Border Patrol—they are violating people’s constitutional rights, they are killing American citizens in the streets, and you are doing nothing. You are not saying a single solitary thing to support constituents or support the American people.”
Taylor continued, “As a constitutional lawyer, you should be incensed. Why are you not?” At that point, Hageman gathered her papers, waved briefly, and walked away from the lectern as members of the crowd shouted “chickenshit.”
