Alex Pretti killing prompts protests and memorials
This story appears in the February 2026 edition of The Washington Nurse.
For many nurses, the killing of Alex Pretti, RN, by federal agents hit close to home. Pretti, an ICU nurse for the Veterans Health Administration, actively opposed ramped-up ICE and Border Patrol activities in Minneapolis. His was the second killing in less than three weeks by federal agents, following the shooting death of Renee Good.
As nurses, regardless of where we work, we care for our communities. The occupation of Minneapolis by ICE brought with it immense disruption for immigrant communities, mass detention, family separations, use of chemical agents around schools, and a generalized climate of fear. Images remain such as the detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, or marching an older Hmong-American U.S. citizen in his underwear in subfreezing weather, and bloodstained streets marking the deaths of Good and Pretti.
Other cities, including Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, have also experienced problems and human rights violations resulting from widespread ICE actions.
Criticism of ICE tactics has been voiced by growing numbers of people of all political persuasions. This is not a partisan issue. The killing of Alex Pretti has accentuated these concerns.
Nurses at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma held a vigil for Alex Pretti on Friday, Jan. 30. Other groups involved were Tanggol Migrante Tacoma, Malaya Tacoma, Bayan Washington, Pierce County Immigration Alliance, and the Philippines-US Solidarity Organization. An estimated 400 people showed up, more than 200 of them nurses and other healthcare workers in Tacoma.
The WSNA Board of Directors issued a statement condemning Pretti’s killing and calling for a full, unbiased investigation. The American Nurses Association also called for transparency and accountability. Rallies and vigils across the country memorialized Pretti, calling for transparency and justice. Washington state was no exception. In Tacoma, a rally was convened by Tanggol Migrante, a Filipino-led immigrant-rights alliance, and cosponsored by WSNA. In Spokane, WSNA member Alex Knox organized a march that drew hundreds of participants. Nurses at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue held a vigil. Vigils were also held at Harborview Medical Center and the Seattle VA Medical Center.
Nurses remain concerned about the threat of ICE enforcement actions in healthcare facilities. Early in 2025, the Trump administration rescinded previous guidance barring ICE enforcement in sensitive locations—schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship. AFT, WSNA’s national labor partner, is a plaintiff in a suit seeking to restore these protections. Together with the National Education Association, AFT is seeking emergency relief to stop ICE enforcement in sensitive locations.
WSNA has provided guidance on what to do if ICE agents come to your workplace. In addition to possible enforcement actions, we know that ICE is often present when accompanying detainees to the hospital for medical treatment. Especially in the current climate, the presence of ICE agents or contractors itself can create a chilling effect, instilling fear in many patients and staff. At St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma, an ICE contractor left a loaded firearm in a hospital bathroom—creating a dangerous situation.
WSNA continues to support peaceful protests and other actions that oppose mass detention and deportation, along with federal policies that roll back collective bargaining rights, diversity initiatives, and healthcare access, among others. Watch the WSNA website for actions coming up, including the March 4 Day of Action to Protect Our Kids, Our Families and Our Communities, called by AFT, and March 28 No Kings! protests.
The environment is continuing to develop rapidly. If you want to be kept up to date on opportunities to take action, and to urge your coworkers, family, and friends to do the same, sign up for WSNA’s Mobilization Network.
