There are few words to describe what is happening right now in Minneapolis, Minnesota but terror, injustice, and unimaginable brutality. I cannot believe that I have to sit here once again to try and somehow report on the killing of an American citizen at the hands of federal Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. It is absolutely unacceptable and nothing can be done to justify the actions of these federal agents.
M. Nelson (12) expressed how the actions taken to counteract this brutality in Minneapolis made her feel.
“The current events of Minneapolis directly reflect the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020,” Nelson said. “During quarantine, I recall watching protests from my phone and feeling a distinct feeling of hope in those on the streets. I feel the same now, seeing individuals on the streets in a grassroots – esque fashion.”
On Jan. 24, the country erupted in outrage as they saw yet another American citizen with the goals of helping others and giving back to his community, shot dead by ICE agents. In his final moments, this American citizen was just trying to help a woman who was being man – handled by ICE. But then, just because he was bearing arms, ICE determined him to be a threat and quickly disarmed and beat him. Then, they shot him 10 times while he was being held on the ground by other ICE officers and then walked away.
His name was Alex Pretti and he was an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse who specialized in caring for veterans.
Additionally, Nelson further explained what she thought about the second video that detailed the fatal killing of another American citizen by federal ICE agents.
As journalists, it’s difficult to even cover this type of news because the events that are currently taking place in our states are unprecedented. We don’t know how to tell the American people that another one of their own just had their life stolen away from them at the hands of the federal law enforcement, the people who are supposed to protect them. We don’t know how to tell the American people that the federal government keeps deploying ICE agents into our states that are committing cold – blooded murder.
However, the Trump Administration is determined to change the narrative and cover up the actions of their rogue, untrained ICE agents. For instance, according to CNN, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that Mr. Pretti was brandishing a firearm and that wished to do harm to federal officers. In addition, Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and the Tip Border Patrol Officer, Greg Bovino, claimed that Alex Pretti wanted to do “maximum damage” and “massacre law enforcement.”
Yet, what they don’t understand is that the American people will not buy this because we refuse to believe their lies and not our eyes. The American people are not blind to what’s happening right now and in fact, they are only becoming increasingly more aware. This death of an innocent American citizen will not be brushed under the rug and will never be forgotten because we all bear the scars from witnessing another senseless killing and are suffering the pain that is this moment.
But Nelson wanted to reveal how Americans would be affected long term by the protests that are taking place in response to the actions of the Trump Administration.
Instead, Americans can see the homicide that took place in Minneapolis for what it was: a scare tactic and a demonstration of power. This administration wants us to stop exercising our constitutional First Amendment right to protest, they want us to stop expressing our differing opinions, and most importantly, they want us to be okay with what’s happening. They want to crush any and all opposition that threatens their regime and they want to be able to do anything to us and expect us to lie down and take it.
J. Moore, a manager of development and training, expressed what these killings in Minneapolis represented as a whole.
“I think that they represent fear, dishonesty, and poor leadership,” Moore said. “Dishonestly, because there are so many stories that have been told that conflict with the videos that we have seen and our eyes cannot lie to us. There are also so many things that have happened that are just morally wrong and people are afraid to stand up and say something. Lastly, poor leadership is displayed because this administration constantly gives people support and permission to simply do wrong things.”
“The hidden, unspoken agenda is White Supremacy and it’s hidden under Christianity and border protection,” Moore said. “They are making an example out of people and basically saying that ‘if you go against us then there will be consequences’, and that there will even be repercussions for innocent people living everyday lives, no matter their color or financial status.”
But again, if they expected us to just willingly concede, then they do not understand the American people. We will never be intimidated, especially by the aggressive tactics of a fascist government, and we will never be discouraged from fighting for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the American people that our country was built on. Instead, we will continue to speak out against a president that punishes the cities that did not vote for him in some twisted form of “retribution.” We will continue to stand up for those immigrants who are being forced into hiding from a government who wishes to do them the utmost harm and is trying to alienate and oust them from society. And we will stand up for their children who are being held in detention centers and are being forever traumatized by the prejudiced tactics of a corrupt administration.
We will also continue to stand up for African Americans who have discriminated against and treated differently in society since the very conception of our country. We will continue to stand up for women who are trying to make it in a system that was only designed for men to succeed. And we will continue to stand up for LGBTQIA+ Americans who are being targeted just because of who they love or just for being who they are, and for Trans kids and Americans who the government is trying to erase.
And the American people continued to express these ideals by coming together to protest the actions of the Trump Administration all across the country. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered to protest in Minneapolis, thousands protested in Union Square in New York City, and hundreds more protested in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Boston, and Providence, Rhode Island, as well as countless other places. What’s more is that these protests were carried out day after day and are still ongoing despite the freezing temperatures.
Moore also wanted to communicate why Americans have been showing decreasing support for harsh immigration and deportation tactics.
Lastly, Missouri is not excluded from this pushback either with Kansas City leaders coming together to block this Administration from building a large – scale detention facility in the area, and calling for bans on masks for ICE agents so that there is more accountability.
Along with that, Moore wanted to convey what she thought about local leaders and politicians speaking out against ICE in Kansas City.
(Disclaimer: Those interviewed wished to keep their full names anonymous.)
