Republican lawmakers are starting to break with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, as the party scrambles to respond to growing public anger after two US citizens were killed by federal agents.
But even as some Republicans in Washington speak out against the fatal shootings, they've avoided directly criticising President Donald Trump or his broader immigration agenda.
The emerging messaging on Minneapolis points to the party's main dilemma heading into the midterm elections: whether and how to distance itself from the biggest controversies of Trump's second term, while running on his overall record on immigration and other issues - a record that's popular on the right, and that most Republicans helped push through Congress.
So far, Republicans have focused criticism on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE - the agency at the forefront of the Minneapolis operation - and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security taking part.
Last year, the Republican-controlled Congress approved roughly $45 billion for border security and additional funding for interior enforcement to help the administration carry out Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the country.
The public outcry over the killings led Senator Rand Paul to call for leaders of ICE and other federal agencies to testify before Congress next month.
Moderate Republicans like Lisa Murkowski have voiced their concerns openly, even as some of Trump's allies issue carefully worded statements that criticized federal tactics without directly breaking with the president.
As a significant number of Republicans continue to support Trump's immigration policies, they face pressure to pivot towards a more compassionate response amid a changing political landscape and increasing scrutiny from voters.
