Additional Coverage:
- America’s largest labor movement calls for ICE to leave Minnesota before ‘anyone else is hurt or killed’ (businessinsider.com)
Labor Unions Denounce ICE After Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN – America’s largest network of labor unions, the AFL-CIO, has issued a strong condemnation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by a federal agent on Saturday. The incident has intensified calls for ICE to withdraw from Minnesota, with unions and local leaders citing increased tensions and previous fatalities attributed to federal immigration enforcement operations.
Pretti, an ICU nurse at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, was confirmed to be a U.S. citizen.
Reports indicate he was filming agents when the confrontation occurred, leading to his death. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE and Border Patrol, stated Pretti was carrying a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and “approached” agents, resisting attempts to disarm him.
However, multiple videos of the incident reportedly show Pretti disarmed and subdued before the fatal shot, and Minneapolis police confirmed he possessed a permit for the weapon.
The AFL-CIO, representing nearly 15 million workers, labeled Pretti’s death “senseless.” In a statement, the labor group asserted, “As tens of thousands of Minnesotans made clear peacefully and powerfully yesterday, the Trump administration’s horrific operation – and their actions aimed at stoking violence and chaos – must end.” The organization called for ICE to “immediately leave Minnesota before anyone else is hurt or killed,” demanding a “full, transparent investigation” by local authorities and congressional accountability for ICE.
Pretti’s death occurred amidst “Operation Metro Surge,” an immigration enforcement sweep initiated by the DHS in December, which has deployed approximately 2,000 federal agents across Minnesota. The operation aims to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, a key focus of the Trump administration.
However, the tactics employed by federal agents have drawn widespread criticism from local residents and business owners, sparking protests throughout the state. Tensions were already high after another federal agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen, on January 7.
In response to the escalating situation, CEOs of Minnesota’s largest businesses, including Target, Cargill, Allianz, and UnitedHealth, released a joint statement on Sunday urging “immediate de-escalation.”
Bernie Burnham, President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, echoed these sentiments on Saturday, calling for a comprehensive investigation into the recent shootings. Burnham stated, “‘Operation Metro Surge’ is not and has never been about enforcing immigration law. This is about a President who is angry with the people of Minnesota for disagreeing with his policies and is weaponizing the federal government against us in retribution.”
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents Pretti and other federal workers, also criticized the Trump administration. Pretti was a member of AFGE Local 3669.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley remarked, “While details of the incident are still emerging, one fact is already clear: this tragedy did not happen in a vacuum. It is the direct result of an administration that has chosen reckless policy, inflammatory rhetoric, and manufactured crisis over responsible leadership and de-escalation.”
Kelley emphasized that the presence of federal agents has fueled fear and division within the community. He urged the public to remain “disciplined and measured,” even amidst anger, while stressing that “accountability will come, and AFGE will not be silent about the policies and decisions that led us here.”