City Councilmember Eddie Lin (District 2) released the following statement after the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by federal immigration agents on Saturday, Jan. 24 — less than three weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed Renee Good, also in Minneapolis.
“I am absolutely devastated by the actions of immigration enforcement around the Twin Cities. The murder of another nonviolent observer in Minneapolis underscores the deadly consequences of ICE’s campaign of terror across the country.
“Alex Pretti, a nurse with the Veterans Administration, died the way he lived — caring for his neighbors. As his family said, ‘Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.’
“It feels like we are living in a dystopian nightmare, not only because people are being killed in our streets by the federal agents, but also because our government is lying about it and grotesquely defaming the victims of this ICE violence. In Seattle, we need to be prepared to protect the civil and constitutional rights of our community amidst increased activity by ICE.
“People are understandably scared and on high alert. I am engaging the Office of the Mayor, City Attorney, SPD, and Seattle School Board on ways to improve information sharing with members of the public about immigration enforcement activity.
“I am also engaging the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) to share the priorities south Seattle residents are highlighting for me, including the need for additional resources for legal defense, and working with small businesses to protect their employees and customers. I am thankful that voters approved the Seattle Shield Initiative, introduced by Councilmember Rinck and former Mayor Harrell, in November, which helps provide additional funding to OIRA this year.
“We cannot sit back and accept the clearly illegal actions of ICE and other federal antagonists that we see in Minnesota. I am engaging local and state officials to determine our ability to defend legal observers and deter excessive use of force by federal agents, including having procedures and legal mechanisms in place to collect and preserve evidence for future prosecutions. The federal government is clearly unwilling to investigate wrongdoing or hold their agents accountable, and I understand that state and local criminal prosecutions may be hampered by the current federal administration, but there will be a change in administration eventually. We have a responsibility to bear witness and seek justice – there is no statute of limitations for murder.”
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