Federal workers and D.C. residents came together outside the Department of Veteran Affairs on Jan. 28 to honor the life and legacy of Alex Pretti, one of several people to die at the hands of federal immigration agents.
Pretti was shot and killed by two Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24, making him the second U.S. citizen to be killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in 2026. Less than two miles from where Pretti was shot, Renée Good was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7.
The vigil was organized by the Federal Unionist Network, National Nurses United and other local advocacy organizations. Participants held signs, lit candles and brought flowers to show their support for Pretti and others impacted by violence from federal agents.
The demonstration conveyed a sense of sorrow and anger, shown by participants chanting phrases like “ICE out now” and singing songs, like “This Little Light of Mine.” It culminated in a march to the White House, where demonstrators continued chanting and holding signs.
Monica Morin, a Free D.C. Project member and coordinator at American University’s registrar’s office, held a large flag that read “Free D.C.” Morin stood near the back of the crowd and spoke to other demonstrators as she handed out handwarmers.
“We shared this event as a way to be in community with each other in these troubling times,” Morin said.
She also said it was important to highlight Pretti’s character and accomplishments.
“He was this great guy,” Morin said. “He was a cyclist, an outdoorsman, a nurse.”
While the vigil was focused on Pretti, speakers and demonstrators spoke about multiple victims of police violence, such as Good, Keith Porter, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. The speakers also read poetry and the statement put out by Pretti’s family.
Morin said she thought of these people when she heard about Pretti. She also mentioned Porter, a man killed by an off-duty ICE officer in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve, whom she said the media didn’t focus on as much as Pretti and Good.
“It’s just the police violence, it’s coming for everyone,” she said.
Pretti and Good were both American citizens. The Trump administration has claimed that ICE’s objective is to target undocumented immigrants and criminals.
Among those speaking to the crowd was one of Pretti’s fellow Veteran Affairs nurses from Minnesota. He emphasized Pretti’s character, especially as a healthcare worker serving veterans, and urged communities to speak out about ICE.
Hector Alcala echoed a similar sentiment regarding the importance of showing up for what you believe in. Alcala said he splits his time between Maryland and Minneapolis, living just a mile away from where Pretti was killed. Alcala stood in the crowd with a shirt that read “Neighbors say ICE out.”
He said his experiences in Minneapolis have allowed him to “[feel] the desperation that people want all this to stop, but not feeling that people are doing anything truly about it.”
Alcala said he hopes to see better media coverage of Minneapolis, because what he witnesses living there is worse than what people realize.
“[I’m] here in solidarity with people who are being terrorized right now and hoping that more people try to do something, because many people are choosing to do nothing,” Alcala said.
Morin added that she believes the deaths of Pretti and Good will help bring more awareness about police violence to the white community.
Dustin Pack held a large upside-down American flag with Pretti and Good’s names written on two stripes. Pack, a 20-year Army veteran and retired Army major, explained that the upside-down flag signifies a post in distress in the Army, referring to when a military base is in a dire situation. He said he felt sick when he heard the news of Pretti’s death.
“Renée was kind of shocking. But this was just a straight execution,” Pack said.
As demonstrators shouted “Enough!” in the background, Pack reflected on the flag he carried.
“The way ICE conduct[s] their business produce[s] dead and maimed Americans,” he said. “So every casualty we take goes on the flag. Unfortunately, I think this flag is going to fill up before it’s over.”
This article was edited by Gabrielle McNamee, Payton Anderson and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Ryan Sieve and Ava Stuzin. Fact-checking done by Andrew Kummeth.
localnews@theeagleonline.com
