Murder: Indian American Reps, Candidates Forcefully Condemn ICE
India-West News Desk
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Alarm and outrage are spreading across Minnesota after two fatal ICE shootings in Minneapolis sparked massive protests and a wave of sharp condemnation from Indian American leaders and candidates, who say federal immigration enforcement has spun dangerously out of control.
The latest killing, the second in the state in a short span, triggered large demonstrations across Minneapolis, with thousands taking to the streets to protest what they describe as unchecked violence by federal agents. Protesters accused ICE of using militarized tactics with little accountability, as anger over the death of nurse Alex Pretti and others intensified amid icy and hazardous winter conditions.
Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running for Congress in CA, used blunt language in response to the killing. “ICE is murdering people. And they will only murder more,” he said. “RIP Alex Pretti. Abolish ICE.”
Members of Congress also weighed in as protests continued. Representative Pramila Jayapal emphasized the legality and importance of the demonstrations themselves. “Peaceful protest is a RIGHT – it’s NOT a crime. And it’s guaranteed under the First Amendment,” she said. “It’s past time we make these abusive ICE agents follow the law. These agents MUST follow the law or get out of our neighborhoods – end of story.”
Representative Ro Khanna called for sweeping congressional action, arguing that lawmakers have tools to rein in the agency. “Congress is not powerless. Democrats must unify around an actual agenda,” Khanna said, outlining steps including blocking DHS funding, repealing long term ICE funding, ending qualified immunity for ICE agents, and prosecuting those who broke the law. He accused President Trump of the “systematic destruction of the rule of law” and said Congress owes action “to nurse Pretti and the hundreds of thousands on the streets risking their lives to stand up for our freedoms.”
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who said he joined friends in Elgin following the killing, described the incident in stark terms. “Yesterday’s killing by Trump’s DHS was a murder,” he said. “No agency should be allowed to take a civilian’s life and escape accountability.” In a separate statement, he added, “I am horrified by what happened in Minneapolis. Another civilian shot in the street by Trump’s DHS. This is beyond unacceptable.”
Representative Shri Thanedar called the killings “barbaric and unacceptable,” accusing ICE of acting “like a group of untrained thugs, not a professional law enforcement agency.” As ranking member of an oversight subcommittee on Homeland Security, Thanedar said he is demanding a full investigation and immediate testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE and CBP leadership. He also urged that all video evidence be released and that ICE operations in Minnesota cease immediately.
Representative Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia said the shooting of another American citizen in broad daylight showed the consequences of unchecked federal force. “This is not about immigration enforcement,” he said. “It is the predictable outcome of arming and deploying federal forces without accountability.” He called for consequences and said Noem “must be impeached and removed.”
Representative Ami Bera echoed concerns that ICE actions are undermining public safety nationwide. “What we are seeing from Trump’s federal agents in Minneapolis and in communities across the country is conduct that is aggressive, lawless, and out of control,” Bera said, noting he voted against the Homeland Security funding bill this week. “The current trajectory we are on is unsustainable and makes all of us less safe.”
Dr. Nirav Shah, a Democratic candidate for governor of Minnesota, said the second killing underscored the gravity of the situation. “Today’s second killing by ICE in Minnesota makes one thing unmistakably clear: this situation is out of control,” Shah said. “Under Donald Trump’s direction, ICE agents are operating with reckless tactics, deadly force, and no meaningful accountability—resulting in lives lost that never should have been.” Shah called for an immediate halt to ICE operations and a full independent review of the agency’s training and use of force, adding, “No one else should die because of Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda.”
As protests and political pressure mounted, FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement warning of a surge in threats tied to escalating rhetoric. “Today brought a significant surge of threatening activity on social media, heavily concentrated in Minnesota and tied to escalating anti law enforcement rhetoric,” Patel said, adding that the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center is processing thousands of tips and that “protecting the public and our law enforcement professionals remains our top priority.”
With demonstrations continuing and calls for investigations, funding blocks, and even impeachment growing louder, the killings in Minneapolis have become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement, federal power, and accountability.
