White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said President Donald Trump "absolutely" supports the Second Amendment rights of "law-abiding" citizens, but added Americans "do not have a constitutional right to impede lawful immigration enforcement operations."

Leavitt's comments came as federal authorities continue investigating the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis — an incident that has ignited a new flashpoint over how gun rights intersect with protests, public safety, and federal law enforcement.

While stressing that "nobody in the White House" wants to see Americans "getting hurt or killed," Leavitt argued the chaos in Minnesota was fueled by Democrat leaders who, she said, encouraged agitators to "stalk, record, confront, and obstruct" federal officers.

She accused Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of blocking local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and creating dangerous conditions for officers and the public.

At the same time, the administration's messaging has drawn pushback from some gun rights advocates after FBI Director Kash Patel suggested in a weekend interview that people "cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines, to any sort of protest."

Gun rights groups and some Republicans quickly disputed that framing, noting that carry laws vary by state and warning against broad-brush claims that could be used to limit lawful gun ownership.

Axios reported that Minnesota gun rights advocates criticized Patel's remarks and said state law does not flatly prohibit carrying loaded firearms at protests.

The dispute underscores the political challenge for conservatives who defend the right to keep and bear arms while emphasizing law and order.

Leavitt attempted to draw that line clearly: Lawful gun ownership is protected, she said, but trying to interfere with federal operations is not.

"Any gun owner knows that when you are carrying a weapon ... and you are confronted by law enforcement, you are raising the assumption of risk," the press secretary told reporters, urging Americans to respect officers conducting lawful duties.

The Wall Street Journal reported that gun-rights groups have clashed with Trump administration officials over public statements made in the wake of the shooting, with some organizations arguing that constitutional rights do not disappear simply because someone is at a protest.

Meanwhile, Trump is dispatching border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis as the administration presses state and local leaders to cooperate with ICE enforcement efforts.

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