Politics

Former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton called on Americans to uphold their values on Sunday, January 25, following the second killing of a citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis. This incident came amid heightened scrutiny of the Trump administration’s mass immigration policies. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents on Saturday during a struggle on a slippery road. This shooting occurred less than three weeks after immigration officers shot Renee Good, also 37, in her vehicle in the same city. Officials from the Trump administration quickly alleged that Pretti had posed a threat to the agents, similar to their claims after Good's death, stating that they found a gun on him. However, videos widely shared on social media and confirmed by U.S. news outlets revealed that Pretti did not pull out a weapon. The agents shot him moments after he was hit with a chemical irritant and taken to the ground. Trump attributed the killings to the Democratic leaders in Minnesota, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, mentioning on his Truth Social platform, “Democrat-run Sanctuary Cities and States are REFUSING to cooperate with ICE.” He added, “Sadly, two American Citizens have lost their lives due to this Democrat-created chaos.” In response to the accusations labeling Pretti as an “assassin” who attacked the agents, his parents released a statement on Saturday denouncing the administration’s “sickening lies” about their son. As tensions rose, protesters gathered in Minneapolis on Sunday to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with one individual holding a sign that read: “Be Pretti, be Good.”