Following the killing of Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Jan. 24, the largest nurses’ union in the U.S. has demanded the abolition of ICE.
In a statement, National Nurses United (NNU) strongly condemned the killing of Pretti, saying the shooting demonstrates the “violence, terror, and lawlessness” and “dire public health threat” that federal immigration agencies pose to communities nationwide.
Pretti, 37, was an intensive care nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. He was shot
and killed by a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent as he was filming immigration agents conducting a raid on a street in Minneapolis. Videos from bystanders showed multiple agents tackling him, taking his gun, and then shooting at him at least 10 times, killing him.
In their statement, NNU called on the Senate to block the funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) slated to come to a vote this week
On the date of the general strike in Minneapolis on Friday, just a day before Pretti’s killing, NNU had put out a statement condemning the House for its passage of the DHS appropriations bill.
The union, which has 225,000 members, has pledged to do “everything in our power” to get any members of Congress who vote to pass funding for ICE voted out of office.
Details: Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/portside-labor-nurses