At the Calvary Baptist Church in Minneapolis, the doors swung open and shut as locals sought refuge from the biting cold on Sunday. The 140-year-old building sits just blocks away from where Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was shot dead by federal immigration agents during a confrontation on Saturday morning.
In the wake of the shooting, which marked the second time in less than a month that a US citizen has been killed by agents in the city, the church has become what locals describe as a haven from the unrest and uncertainty outside. There was no service here on Sunday. Instead, volunteers and church staff, such as Ann Hotz, who works at the church's daycare centre, handed out coffee, snacks, and hand warmers to those who stopped by.
Some were on their way to lay flowers at a nearby memorial for Pretti, while others visited on their way home from protests against the weeks-long federal immigration enforcement operation in the city. Yesterday, I fell apart, Hotz told the BBC as she helped move cases of water outside. Today I'm here to stand with my community and help our neighbors as they remember Alex and mourn him.
Caldwell-Tautges, the church administrator, expressed concern about the recent actions of federal immigration agents. This is what America is now, he said, emphasizing the need for community support. The city of Minneapolis is now at the forefront of the national immigration debate again this month after another local resident, Renee Nicole Good, was shot by an ICE agent earlier in January.
Videos of both shootings have prompted protests across the city, as residents argue for an end to the aggressive immigration enforcement. Amidst the outrage, many locals have gathered to pay tribute to Pretti, lighting candles and leaving flowers at the site of his death. Fellow community members voiced their concerns and frustrations, stating, We're tired of protesting. We can't comprehend how this is happening. Why are we letting this happen?
Amidst ongoing tensions, Governor Tim Walz called for the immediate withdrawal of federal agents from Minnesota, fearing further violence could occur. The Department of Homeland Security claims the agents fired in self-defense, but many eyewitnesses and Pretti's family dispute this account. They insist he was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
The incidents in Minneapolis have reignited discussions around immigration policies and police brutality, with many demanding accountability and change in the enforcement approach.
