How to Support Minnesotans and Stop ICE from Murdering More Americans

After a year of being dragged along the path to authoritarianism by the Trump administration, there’s no denying that we’ve arrived.

On Saturday, Jan. 24 — as we continued to mourn the death of Minnesotan resident Renee Good — masked immigration enforcement agents murdered another American in Minneapolis: Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who worked for the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

For nearly a year, Congress rubberstamped the cruelty of a lawless mob of masked agents and turned Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection into a private army that serves the president’s worst authoritarian impulses. Thanks to Congress, ICE not only has a budget that is larger than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined, but also larger than 90 percent of the world’s militaries.

With the recent murders in Minneapolis, however, we have a rare opportunity to press for meaningful change. The Senate has reconsidered plans to continue funding ICE, and an increasing number of legislators who previously defended the agency are now calling for its investigation and reform.

Minnesotans also want federal agents out, and President Trump appears to be feeling the pressure: on Monday, he reportedly removed CBP Chief Greg Bovino — architect of the administration’s brutal enforcement tactics — from the state.

Here’s what you can do to prevent another tragedy in Minneapolis and other cities:

Demand that Congress rejects the Department of Homeland Security spending bill until accountability and reform measures are in place. This also means taking back the billions of taxpayer funds Congress stole from Americans’ health care and gave to ICE in the so-called One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

We’re past the point of half-measures, and we’re way past the point of symbolic votes. That’s why NILC president Kica Matos sent Congress a letter articulating a clear set of reforms designed to stop DHS’s campaign of terror and hold it accountable when it violates the law.

Push state and local authorities to investigate federal agents responsible for committing crimes, including murder. The families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — as well as Silverio Villegas González, Isaias Sanchez Barboza, Keith Porter, and others killed by federal agents — deserve justice. To avoid accountability, the Trump administration is trying to silence and intimidate the state and local officials who are investigating these murders. We need to make clear that if the Trump administration won’t protect Minnesotans, state and local officials must.

Sue the Trump administration to block and restrict unlawful policies that are harming people. If you or an organization you work with is harmed by the Trump administration’s policies, you may be able to protect others by suing to have the entire policy declared unlawful in court. For example, NILC’s legal team is currently preparing to challenge the domestic deployment of the military under the Insurrection Act. If you are aware of potentially unlawful authoritarian actions by federal agents, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Organize, mobilize, and resist. Minneapolis is showing us how it’s done:

• The day before Alex Pretti was murdered, nearly 1 in 5 Minneapolis residents (75,000 people) took to the streets in sub-zero temperatures to demand justice.
• Over 700 businesses participated in the ICE out of Minnesota Coalition’s “blackout” solidarity action. Local organizers are boycotting corporations that support, enable, or benefit from the administration’s authoritarian crackdown. They are also demanding that businesses refuse to work with ICE and deny immigration enforcement requests to enter without a warrant.
• You can see the full list of demands as well as upcoming actions on the ICE out of Minnesota action page.

Support organizations on the ground. Community-based organizations, rapid response networks, and mutual aid groups in Minnesota are working around the clock to serve communities under siege, secure accountability for the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and advocate for reforms to prevent future tragedies like this. Here’s how you can support them:

• Donate. Here’s a curated list of Minnesota-based organizations you can donate to. If you’d like a recommendation, consider supporting Unidos MN, a NILC partner in Minnesota that organizes with immigrant communities, and advocates for and provides services to all Minnesotans.
• Stay informed and know your rights, including when filming ICE, no matter what your immigration status is.
• Volunteer. You can offer direct support to people and families targeted by ICE. Contact your local mutual aid group to find out how to provide rides, groceries, childcare, and other assistance.
• Join a rapid response network. These networks provide on-the-ground support to people and families targeted by ICE. They can train you to lawfully observe, de-escalate, and uphold the rights of community members who are experiencing unlawful or abusive behavior by immigration enforcement agents.

In addition to the direct actions you can take to support Minnesotans and prevent similar atrocities across the country, you can advocate for new laws at the state and local levels to fortify communities against the federal government’s unlawful and abusive actions. NILC co-created a No Secret Police, No Troops in our Streets campaign toolkit that includes model legislation, talking points, and other resources. If you’d like access to the toolkit, or would like to discuss options for reform campaigns in your state, please reach out to NILC staff at [email protected].

As people on the streets continue to fight back against government violence and overreach, there’s a lot we can do to protect them, ourselves, and our communities. Stay safe, stay vigilant, and don’t lose hope. We get through this together.