1. United States
2. Mont.
3. Letter

Senator Sheehy, With all due respect, how does shooting American citizens protect the safety of the public? Whether or not ICE is doing our country good with the mass apprehension and deportation of whomever they seem to deem fit, many of which are also American citizens, or people who have in fact immigrated here legally, or are in the process of doing so, is beside the point. Why is none of ICE's exorbitant $75 Billion dollar budget being used to train agents in the many de-escalation techniques that are used in the training of our country's police officers? Police officers are often in dangerous situations and are expected to use many other techniques of de-escalating an encounter before they may use their firearms. Why are ICE agents, who presumably do a similar role of 'public safety', not held to the same expectations and training as police officers? I have seen the tragic footage of Ice agents killing Alex Pretti several times. By the time he was shot he was already on the ground, restrained by several agents. His firearm, which he did NOT draw against ICE agents, had already been removed by one of the agents before he was shot. Why was lethal force even considered? And beyond that, how is there ever any justification for some 10 shots to be fired into a man who was already laying on the ground? The scene looks far less like 'self defense' on behalf of the agents, and much more like an execution. There is no law against videoing anyone, ICE agent or not, on a public street. Pretti had his phone in his hand, not his firearm. His firearm was taken from his side by agents before he was shot. There is no law about trying to use your own body to shield someone else from being pepper sprayed as Pretti did. As Pretti was shielding a fellow person, attempting to help someone to their feet, and merely filming agents, I don't even understand why they decided to pin him to the ground. And even if Pretti did break the law in some way, he should have been arrested and brought up on charges, not shot in the street. Nevertheless, he was pinned down, and then shot. No weapon in hand, no shots fired at ICE agents, no 'attempt to massacre' the agents. If the fact that he had a weapon on him was the cause for his death, then should every single person with a concealed or open carry permit suddenly fear for their life, should they be near ICE agents? That number includes a sizable percentage of Montana citizens. It certainly does not make me feel safer in this country. Why is this just a 'tragedy' and not under scrutiny? Why are Minnesota State authorities being impeded in their investigations? Why does none of the $75 billion budget for the agency seem to go towards training in nonviolent de-escalation? Why does "We as Americans must bridge our differences without violence" not seem to apply to a US government agency, when they are faced with Americans? ICE is out of control and acting completely lawless. The agency as a whole throws due process out the window and turns each agent into judge, jury, and executioner. This is un-American. This is shameful.