JCPA Statement on the Killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by US Border Patrol

“Today, another American is dead at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who dedicated his life to caring for Veterans, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents — the third shooting by federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis in 17 days. We sit in shock, outrage, grief, and prayer alongside his family and the entire Twin Cities community.

“This is what authoritarianism looks like in practice — and the federal administration is telling us not to believe our own eyes. Federal agents created chaos in Minneapolis through aggressive, unlawful tactics. And when Americans exercised their constitutional right to protest against that chaos, those same agents responded with violence.

“The pattern is unmistakable and deliberate. Renee Good. Alex Pretti. Federal agents blocking state investigators from crime scenes — even after local authorities obtained search warrants — and detaining witnesses. The Department of Homeland Security preemptively labeling victims as “domestic terrorists.” Justice Department officials resigning in protest over the refusal to investigate federal shooters.

“From Charlottesville to January 6th to Minneapolis, this administration has made clear that extremist violence is a tactic they are willing to give license to and support. They are weaponizing federal law enforcement against immigrant communities, protesters, and Democratic-led cities based on the bigoted lie of an “invasion” — the same conspiracy theory that has fueled a cycle of extremist violence targeting countless communities.

“Congress must act immediately to rein in the federal administration’s abuses. Our Jewish values demand we speak with moral clarity: we know where unchecked power leads, and that true safety can never come through fear, militarization, or violence.”