East Hampton Supervisor Speaks Out Against MN ICE Killing, Spotlights Rally, Rapid Response Program

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez has spoken out strongly against the Minneapolis ICE shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37.

"An American exercising his First Amendment rights was killed by his own government," Burke-Gonzalez said. "A son. A friend. A nurse who cared for our veterans. A person who spent his life helping other people survive their hardest moments, and he did not make it home."

She added: "When the Trump administration decided that fear and intimidation is a governing strategy, the result is not safety. The result is a parent grieving the loss of their child, and a country where more and more people feel like one encounter with the federal government could shatter their lives forever. The harm does not stop at one street or one city. It spreads. It changes how families live. It changes who feels safe asking for help. It changes whether a witness speaks up. It changes whether a child can breathe easy when their parents walk out the door for work in the morning."

And, said the supervisor: "Here in East Hampton, we are a community that shows up for one another. We treat people like neighbors. We believe that when your neighbors are hurting, you show up for them."

She added that those who wanted to "show up for" their neighbors could attend a vigil for ICE victims at the Hook Mill in East Hampton at 6 p.m.

Or, she said, they could "consider signing up for OLA’s Rapid Response program, a community effort where volunteers act as peaceful observers to ensure our neighbors are treated fairly."

Burke-Gonzalez concluded, "We will not accept a future where people must prove they deserve dignity and fear is the price of living your life."