Hundreds Gather to Honor ICU Nurse Killed by Border Patrol Agents, Call for Abolition of ICE
A somber crowd gathered outside the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on the Near West Side of Chicago, paying tribute to Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by two Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Pretti's death has sparked outrage among healthcare workers and community leaders, who are now demanding an end to federal immigration enforcement.
The vigil, which drew hundreds of people, including many nurses still wearing their badges from work, featured a traditional Nightingale Tribute – a send-off for nurses – while also calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The gathering was a response to Pretti's killing, which is the third reported incident of federal agents shooting someone in Minnesota this month.
"We are demanding more from our representatives than just empty words," said Michael Applegate, a Navy veteran. "We need real action, not just grand speeches or tweets about what we're going to do. It's time for people to put their skin in the game and stand up against injustice."
Governor JB Pritzker visited the memorial earlier that day, leaving behind a bouquet of white flowers. This comes after health care workers held a rally at the same site just a day earlier, demanding accountability for Pretti's killing.
The incident has also sparked calls for ICE to be abolished. "Stop letting ICE come back," said Jacquelyn Ceplecha, an emergency room nurse and rapid responder. Illinois politicians have claimed to oppose ICE, but Ceplecha argues that their inaction is complicit in the violence against people of color.
Pretti's death is not an isolated incident. Two Border Patrol agents were involved in a shooting last year in the Chicago area, killing one person and injuring another. The agents are still facing charges.
The event has also highlighted the need to redirect funding from immigration enforcement to healthcare. "It's all one issue," said Dennis Kosuth, a Cook County nurse. "We're not saying that immigration is the sole cause of our problems, but we do know that the billions spent on ICE could be going towards affordable healthcare."
As the city grapples with rising crime rates and lack of access to healthcare, some politicians have unfairly blamed immigrants for these issues. Kosuth disputed this narrative, saying it's a lie perpetuated by billionaires and their allies in Congress.
A somber crowd gathered outside the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on the Near West Side of Chicago, paying tribute to Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by two Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Pretti's death has sparked outrage among healthcare workers and community leaders, who are now demanding an end to federal immigration enforcement.
The vigil, which drew hundreds of people, including many nurses still wearing their badges from work, featured a traditional Nightingale Tribute – a send-off for nurses – while also calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The gathering was a response to Pretti's killing, which is the third reported incident of federal agents shooting someone in Minnesota this month.
"We are demanding more from our representatives than just empty words," said Michael Applegate, a Navy veteran. "We need real action, not just grand speeches or tweets about what we're going to do. It's time for people to put their skin in the game and stand up against injustice."
Governor JB Pritzker visited the memorial earlier that day, leaving behind a bouquet of white flowers. This comes after health care workers held a rally at the same site just a day earlier, demanding accountability for Pretti's killing.
The incident has also sparked calls for ICE to be abolished. "Stop letting ICE come back," said Jacquelyn Ceplecha, an emergency room nurse and rapid responder. Illinois politicians have claimed to oppose ICE, but Ceplecha argues that their inaction is complicit in the violence against people of color.
Pretti's death is not an isolated incident. Two Border Patrol agents were involved in a shooting last year in the Chicago area, killing one person and injuring another. The agents are still facing charges.
The event has also highlighted the need to redirect funding from immigration enforcement to healthcare. "It's all one issue," said Dennis Kosuth, a Cook County nurse. "We're not saying that immigration is the sole cause of our problems, but we do know that the billions spent on ICE could be going towards affordable healthcare."
As the city grapples with rising crime rates and lack of access to healthcare, some politicians have unfairly blamed immigrants for these issues. Kosuth disputed this narrative, saying it's a lie perpetuated by billionaires and their allies in Congress.
I cant even imagine being a nurse and then getting shot by border patrol agents 
like how did that happen?!? 
i feel so sorry for her family and friends 
and the fact that they are all still getting treated with disrespect is just, no 
like what can we do to make sure this doesnt keep happening?!?! 
and ICE being abolished would be amazing 
but it feels like such a big task 
. A nurse just doing her job gets killed by border patrol agents and now people are calling for ICE to be abolished? I get why, it's just not right that someone is getting shot for no reason. The fact that other nurses showed up wearing their uniforms to the vigil, like they were ready to go back to work ASAP, really got me... we need more action than just words 
. And can we please stop blaming immigrants for our problems? It's not fair and it's not true 
.
. What's up with that?! I mean, I get it, we need to protect our borders, but do we really have to start shooting people? 
. But seriously, the fact that there are hundreds of people showing up to demand an end to ICE and funding for healthcare is crazy in a good way 
. And honestly, who's going to put their skin in the game? Politicians just tweeting about it? 
. Like, Governor Pritzker showing up with a bouquet of flowers, but what's he actually doing to make things right? 
It feels like they're all just paying lip service to our demands.
. It's so inspiring to see nurses like Jacquelyn Ceplecha and Dennis Kosuth standing up for what's right.
. We can't just sit back and let our representatives do the bare minimum... we need real change, not just empty promises 
.
, instead of just tweeting about it. And can we please get some real action taken on addressing healthcare access issues? It's not a zero-sum game, folks - we don't have to choose between border security and healthcare. Let's redirect those ICE funds towards affordable care 
. It's like, what's the point of having leaders if they're not going to actually lead on these kinds of issues? 
. It's not just about Alex Pretti's death, it's a symptom of a larger issue – the systemic racism and xenophobia that's built into our immigration policies. I mean, come on, if we're gonna talk about accountability, where were the politicians when ICE was doing this? 
We should be working towards a system that values compassion and justice, not perpetuating lies and misinformation 
the fact that ppl are now demanding abolition of ICE is super necessary cuz it's clear that they're not doing their job right 
meanwhile, the gov's response has been pretty meh 
what we need is real action from our reps & a change in policy ASAP 
. The fact that two Border Patrol agents are facing charges for this incident, but also still working, doesn't seem right to me 
. We need real change, not just empty words or sympathy. The healthcare workers are right, we should be putting our money where our mouths are – redirecting funds from immigration enforcement to affordable healthcare instead 
. It's time to have a real conversation about how we're addressing these issues and working towards a solution that works for everyone 
. I mean, who needs policies when you can just throw some flowers at the Governor's office and call for the abolition of ICE? 
It's about time someone put their money where their mouth is (or in this case, where their bouquet of white flowers is). And let's be real, the billions spent on ICE could be going towards actual healthcare solutions, but noooo, politicians are too busy spewing lies about immigrants causing all our problems 
. As a nurse myself, I'm tired of watching my colleagues get shot by Border Patrol agents and seeing us treated like we're not even worth the same value as their tweets 
. The fact that they're now calling for abolition of ICE is a step in the right direction 
I mean, come on, can you believe what happened to Alex Pretti? 37 years old, just doing her job, and BAM! Two Border Patrol agents show up and...well, you know. 
It's like something out of a movie, but not the good kind.
Can we get some actual progress on healthcare funding instead of just blaming immigrants for our problems? 
But can we be honest about how effective our calls to action are gonna be? We've seen politicians make promises before, and not always follow through 
The ICE abolition fight is a good start, but we need concrete actions beyond just rhetoric 
And let's not forget about how systemic inequalities play into these issues... it's not all just about immigration, but about access to resources, justice, and equal treatment for everyone. We need nuanced conversations that acknowledge these complexities 
. It's not just about empty words; we need concrete actions to address the root causes of violence and injustice 
. The billions spent on ICE could be redirected towards affordable healthcare, addressing the real issues plaguing our communities 
. Let's put our skin in the game and stand up against injustice – it's time for politicians to put aside their rhetoric and take meaningful action 
. I mean, can you imagine being a nurse who cares for people every single day only to be gunned down by agents who are supposed to protect? it's just not right 
. And the fact that this is happening in America, of all places...