“This Is Not Who We Are”: Biden Condemns Fatal ICE Shootings, Urges Accountability
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has condemned the killing of two American citizens by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis, calling the incidents a violation of the nation’s core democratic values and urging full, independent, and transparent investigations.
In a statement posted Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter), Biden said the United States “is not a nation that guns down its citizens in the street” and rejected the use of violence by government authorities against people exercising their constitutional rights.
“We are not a nation that allows our citizens to be brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights,” Biden said. “We are not a nation that tramples the Fourth Amendment and tolerates our neighbors being terrorized.”
The former president praised the resilience of Minnesota residents, saying communities have continued to support one another and demand accountability despite ongoing unrest.
“The people of Minnesota have stood strong — helping community members in unimaginable circumstances, speaking out against injustice when they see it, and holding our government accountable,” he said, adding that Minnesotans “have suffered enough.”
Biden emphasized that violence has no place in the United States, particularly when carried out by federal authorities.
“Violence and terror have no place in America — especially when it’s our own government targeting American citizens,” he said.
He also urged Americans to defend democratic norms, stressing that the nation’s values cannot be erased by any single leader.
“No one person can destroy what America stands for — not even a president — if the people stand up and speak out,” Biden said.
Biden concluded by offering condolences to the families of the victims.
“Jill and I are sending strength to the families and communities who love Alex Pretti and Renee Good as we mourn their senseless deaths,” he said.
Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse known for caring for critically ill veterans, was killed during an immigration enforcement operation on Minneapolis’ south side. His death has intensified scrutiny of federal law enforcement practices and strained relations between healthcare workers and immigration authorities.
The incident marks the second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks. Renee Good, 37, was killed on January 7 after an ICE officer fired into her vehicle, sparking daily protests across the city.
The shootings come amid a sustained deployment of federal immigration agents to Minneapolis, where enforcement raids have escalated as part of former President Donald Trump’s renewed anti-immigration push.
A Venezuelan man was also shot by U.S. security agents in a separate incident last week, further fueling public outrage and calls for accountability.
