Dear Emgage Action Community,

On Saturday, federal immigration agents shot and killed another member of our community in Minneapolis, 37‑year‑old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed during an enforcement operation by federal agents, the second fatal shooting in the city this month by federal immigration forces. 

Just weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent, our Minnesota neighbors are again grieving, protesting in the streets, and demanding justice, even as federal agents respond with tear gas, stun grenades, and force against demonstrators.

This is not happening in some distant place. This is happening to our neighbors, in our communities, on our streets.

Alex Pretti

Renee Good

When militarized federal agents occupy American cities, terrorize immigrant communities, and kill with impunity, none of us are safe. The Muslim American community knows this truth intimately: we have experienced decades of surveillance, profiling, and discrimination in the name of "security." 

Communities of color and Muslim Americans understand this reality deeply, having long faced disproportionate surveillance, profiling, and discrimination in the name of security. ICE was designed to instill fear in immigrant communities, to separate families, and to treat human beings as criminals for seeking safety and opportunity. What we're witnessing in Minneapolis is not a failure of the system, it is the system working exactly as intended.

We join Governor Tim Walz, community leaders, and the brave Minnesotans protesting in the streets in demanding:

• Immediate cessation of federal immigration operations in Minnesota

• Withdrawal of all militarized federal agents

• An end to the mass deportation apparatus

1. Take action and email your U.S. Senators and demand they:

    → Get ICE out of ALL of our communities, including Minneapolis

    → Support legislation to make sure ICE does not get more funding

2. You can support Al-Maa'uun, a Minnesota-based service provider. 

3. If you are an immigration lawyer, please reach out and we can connect you to people you can support. 

4. If you're not in Minnesota, be sure to share factual information about what's happening in Minneapolis.

    → Counter the false narratives that dehumanize immigrants and justify state violence.

In the face of this darkness, we have seen Minneapolis residents open their doors to protesters fleeing tear gas. We have seen neighbors standing shoulder to shoulder against injustice. We have seen courage in the face of violence. 

This is the America we are building together. One where we protect each other, where we refuse to look away, where we understand that our liberation is bound together.

Together, we can stand against ICE’s violence and protect our communities. Your support helps ensure that our voices are heard in Congress, that communities have resources to push back against abusive enforcement, and that we can keep shining a light on ICE’s deadly actions. If you’re able, consider contributing to sustain this work and keep our advocacy strong.

In solidarity,

Mohamed Gula
Interim CEO, Emgage Action