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Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith call for ICE to leave
Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith took the floor at Capitol Hill on Wednesday to address ongoing ICE operations in the state. They called for the end of Operation Metro Surge, and talked about the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in south Minneapolis.
WASHINGTON, DC (FOX 9) - Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith took the floor on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, each calling for Operation Metro Surge to end and to stop funding for ongoing federal immigration operations.
‘Renee and Alex should be alive today’
What we know:
There have been three shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis since the start of Operation Metro Surge. Two have been fatal, with Renee Good being killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
About two weeks later, Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent.
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Amy Kloubuchar: 'Both Renee and Alex should be alive today'
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar took the U.S. floor on Wednesday to talk about the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. There are more than 3,000 federal agents in the state on federal immigration enforcement operations as part of Operation Metro Surge.
Good was shot after an ICE agent gave her demands to get out of her vehicle. She told the agent, "I don’t hate you" moments before she was shot trying to flee the area.
Pretti had a license to carry a gun, and was shot during a struggle with agents after trying to help a woman that had been shoved to the ground.
"Both Renee and Alex should be alive today. Anyone who cares about federalism, about freedoms, about liberties should be horrified about what is happening. If you care about the Constitution, you should be horrified," Klobuchar said.
Klobuchar also called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign, or lose her job.
‘ICE must leave Minnesota’
What they're saying:
Smith called for ICE agents to leave Minnesota, and for Operation Metro Surge, which has more than 3,000 agents in the state, to come to an end. She said she’s heard countless stories of people afraid to leave their homes, go to work because they fear they’ll see an ICE agent.
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Tina Smith calls for ICE operations in Minnesota to end
Minnesota Senator Tina Smith took the floor at Capitol Hill on Wednesday to talk about ongoing ICE operations in Minnesota and Operation Metro Surge. Smith called it a full-blown emergency, which has included the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
She says she has seen agents break down doors without warrants, kids being taken from homes and their parents. She spoke Wednesday at Capitol Hill with the banner "Minnesota Strong" behind her.
"We have a full-blown dangerous emergency unfolding in Minnesota. It is happening right now, and we need your help to end it," Smith told fellow Senators. "We must stand up. It’s time for those ICE agents to come home. ICE needs to leave Minnesota."
Pretti’s fatal shooting led to the departure of top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, and some of his agents.
On Tuesday, Border Czar Tom Homan took over operations in Minnesota.