1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand immediate action to halt ICE operations in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti on Saturday. This marks the second killing by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis in less than three weeks, after 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer on January 7. Alex Pretti was a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse with no criminal record beyond traffic tickets. He was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. Federal officials claim he was armed and resisted attempts to disarm him, but bystander videos do not show Pretti holding a weapon. His family states he had his phone in his right hand with his left hand raised while trying to protect a woman ICE had pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. They describe the administration's statements as "sickening lies." Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara confirmed Pretti had no prior interactions with law enforcement. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus noted that "there has been no evidence produced indicating an intent to harm the officers" and emphasized that every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to bear arms while exercising First Amendment rights. Two people have been killed in Minneapolis by federal immigration officers in just over two weeks. The Department of Justice has declined to open a civil rights investigation, a departure from past administrations. This lack of accountability is unacceptable. I urge you to take immediate action to suspend ICE operations until a full independent investigation is completed. Support legislation to require independent oversight of immigration enforcement operations and ensure civil rights investigations occur when federal officers use deadly force. The federal government cannot continue operating with impunity while Minnesota residents are being killed. These deaths demand accountability and immediate intervention to prevent further loss of life.