US Protests: Death of Protester by Immigration Agents Sparks Outrage
- the death of a second American citizen in less than a month during immigration raids in Minneapolis has sparked angry protests and widespread condemnation.
- Hundreds of demonstrators braved the frigid weather to take to the streets to protest the shooting death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse killed by Immigration...
- Videos from the scene show the struggle between federal agents and Pretti.
the death of a second American citizen in less than a month during immigration raids in Minneapolis has sparked angry protests and widespread condemnation.
Hundreds of demonstrators braved the frigid weather to take to the streets to protest the shooting death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse killed by Immigration agents during an incident on Saturday.
Videos from the scene show the struggle between federal agents and Pretti.
Federal and state authorities have offered conflicting accounts of what happened in the moments before the shooting.
US President Donald Trump says his administration is “reviewing everything” about Pretti’s death.
Trump signaled in an interview with
The protests have spread to other cities in the United States, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with many attendees carrying signs calling for “Justice for Alex” and “abolish ICE.”
Trump ordered the sending of federal agents to this Democratic-governed state a few weeks ago, with the aim of carrying out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
The backlash against the Trump administration’s crackdown is growing, even within the Republican Party.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt told CNN that people where watching thier fellow Americans being shot on television and that “federal tactics and accountability” had become a growing concern for voters.
When asked whether ICE should be expelled from Minnesota, Stitt said the president needed to answer that question, but that he was “getting bad advice right now.”
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy said the Minneapolis shooting was “incredibly disturbing” and that “the credibility of ICE and DHS is at stake.”
The CEOs of more than 60 Minnesota-based companies, including 3M, Best Buy, Target and UnitedHealth Group, also signed an open letter calling for “an immediate de-escalation of tensions” and for local and federal officials to “work together to find real solutions.”
contradictory versions
The Trump administration has described Pretti as a ”domestic terrorist.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed he was there “to perpetuate violence,” and alleged that he approached federal agents with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Videos have emerged showing a struggle between Border Patrol agents and the man just before the shooting.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the agents fired in self-defense after Pretti resisted their attempts to disarm him.
Walz reiterated his call for Trump to end ICE operations in Minnesota and called on the federal government to stop “slandering” Pretti. He added that his family “has been through enough” having to bury their son.
The governor called for protests to remain peaceful,but accused federal agents of removing evidence from the scene of Pretti’s death.
“This is a turning point,” Walz told his compatriots.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also demanded that ICE agents leave the state.
“How many more residents, how many more Americans have to die or be seriously injured for this operation to end?” he declared.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told the BBC that federal agents prevented state officers from accessing the shooting scene, despite having a search warrant.
Image source,
Reuters