WASHINGTON— The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law condemns the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Publicly available video footage and reporting contradict the government’s claims regarding the shooting and its efforts to label Mr. Pretti as a “domestic terrorist.” This killing follows the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good earlier this month—two deadly shootings involving DHS personnel in Minneapolis in a matter of weeks.
“We are watching the federal government normalize lawlessness as its officers continue to unnecessarily use deadly force, take lives, and violate people’s rights with impunity. Administration officials are also playing Americans for fools, telling us to trust their words and ignore the painful images we have seen with our own eyes,” said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Too many times, violence by federal officials is met with denial instead of transparency and accountability. Rather than confront their agents’ conduct, the Department of Homeland Security has responded with reflexive, distorted defenses that excuse violence and evade accountability. These are not isolated incidents or momentary lapses in judgment. They are systemic moral failures—and accountability must reach the highest levels of the federal government.
“As the country marks the 250th year since its founding, it is beyond troubling that our federal government continues to make the same mistakes of judgment and policy, with deadly consequences. When the government takes a life, the public is at least owed the truth—quickly and completely. And when it happens repeatedly, fundamental change is needed.”
“Enough is enough. The federal government must immediately end its siege on Minneapolis and any surge-style, armed residential operations pending independent review and clear safeguards. They must also cooperate with local and state authorities, who have thus far been blocked from accessing critical evidence to investigate these killings. And Congress must demonstrate leadership by halting funding for immigration enforcement operations until we have real answers and real safeguards–including clear restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol operations, a prohibition on racial profiling, and an end to the aggressive deployment of ICE and Border Patrol federal agents to our cities.
“We stand in solidarity with people of all races, creeds, and faiths who are confronting the violent erosion of our most cherished ideals in Minneapolis and across America. And we honor the civil rights tradition of resisting state violence, demanding accountability, and insisting that the Constitution and its protections belong to everyone—without exception.”
