Less than three weeks ago, we shared a joint statement in partnership with other national domestic violence organizations on the killing of Renee Nicole Good.
Since then, immigrant communities have continued to be targeted, and another Minneapolis resident has been killed while exercising their right to protest and observe immigration enforcement activities by federal agents. Alex Pretti should be alive today.
In the wake of ongoing violence and community trauma, it can feel as though there are no words. Today we reaffirm our statements from just weeks ago:
This death is not an isolated tragedy. It is a predictable and devastating consequence of an immigration enforcement system that relies on militarized tactics, excessive force, and intimidation, treating immigrant communities, and those who stand in solidarity with them, as expendable. Across the country, aggressive ICE operations have increasingly spilled into neighborhoods, workplaces, courthouses and public spaces – as well as residential spaces – escalating risk not only for immigrants but for entire communities.
These atrocities have profound and direct implications for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other forms of abuse. When communities experience fear, surveillance, and the threat of sudden violence, survivors are less likely to seek help, report harm, or access critical services. Safety cannot exist where people are forced to live in constant fear of arrest, separation, or the impacts of enforcement actions that prioritize force over care.
Violence by the state reverberates far beyond a single moment. It shapes how safe children feel walking into schools, how secure families feel in their homes, and how willing neighbors are to look out for one another. The killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good are a stark reminder that enforcement practices rooted in force and fear undermine, not enhance, public safety.
We stand in solidarity with immigrant communities, as well as with survivors, families, and those who are grieving and calling for a different path forward – a path where no one’s life is treated as expendable.
We remain steadfast in our opposition to immigration enforcement policies and practices that perpetuate harm. We remain committed to preventing the unnecessary loss of life, upholding human dignity, and ensuring that all survivors can access safety, justice and support without fear or punishment.
