1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

I’m a former Naval Officer, a disabled veteran who relies on VA healthcare, and a business owner. I’m writing in anger and grief over the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and VA employee, who was shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 24. Video footage confirms Pretti was unarmed and holding a phone, not a weapon. Witnesses say he was helping people, not threatening anyone. Yet he was pepper-sprayed, tackled, and fatally shot by ICE and Border Patrol agents operating in a civilian neighborhood. This wasn’t a high-risk warrant or a terrorism case. This was a quiet street in a major American city. And Alex Pretti — a caregiver, a public servant, and a citizen — is now dead. This is the second federal killing in Minneapolis this month, following the death of Renee Good. In both cases, the federal government released misleading or incomplete statements. That alone should demand congressional oversight. As someone who served my country and depends on the federal systems meant to care for us, I cannot stay silent. I’ve seen how quickly institutions break when power goes unchecked. I’m calling on you to: • Support full, transparent investigations into the deaths of Pretti and Good — including subpoena power and public testimony. • Push for restrictions on federal law enforcement involvement in local policing. • Back legislation that limits ICE and CBP field operations and holds them accountable for excessive force. • Condition DHS funding on clear, immediate reforms. This is about more than one case. It’s about whether we tolerate federal agents killing citizens with impunity — and whether we still believe in the rule of law. Please tell me what specific actions you are taking. Silence is not an option. I am watching. So are millions of other Americans who still believe this country can be better than this.