Chicago, IL – Alianza Americas, a national network of 55+ Latin American and Caribbean Immigrant-led organizations, is appalled and condemns another killing, this time of an unarmed man in Minneapolis, MN, at the hands of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer who shot him at close range. The video speaks for itself. This was an extrajudicial execution committed by federal immigration agents, confirming a deeply troubling pattern of unnecessary violence and impunity. The Trump Administration has emboldened this violence to take place, with its statements, inappropriate training, and arbitrary quotas, which have created a lethal force. Immigration enforcement should never result in the death of a person.
ICE and CBP agents are terrorizing our communities, violating human rights, racially profiling hardworking neighbors, and making communities less safe. The people of Minnesota have spoken loud and clear. The presence of ICE and CBP is harming all residents.
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives approved yet another budget for ICE. Now, it is up to the Senate to stop this unwarranted, unnecessary, and reckless violence. DHS can not be funded. It has no place in our communities. These abuses are carried out with billions of taxpayer dollars approved by Congress. Money that should be used instead to provide quality healthcare and education for all. This violence is not accidental; it is the predictable outcome of DHS actions, enabled with the resources appropriated by Congress.
No more deaths as a result of immigration enforcement! Enough is enough. We demand immediate actions to bring to justice the ICE and CBP agents responsible for this State crime, and for the agencies' chain of command, those who have trained and instructed agents to act in this manner. ICE and CBP officers should not be armed because they do not know how or when to use weapons. We are all in danger. They don't even know how to respond when a person is injured. Their disregard for human life is unacceptable.
We demand action now. ICE and CBP must leave Minnesota now. Federal enforcement operations must be stopped now. Adequate training and supervision must be provided. ICE and CBP agents cannot be on the streets, making us all unsafe. Not one more person, family, or community should suffer at the hands of federal immigration agents. We ALL stand in solidarity with Minnesota. ICE and CBP Out! To violence, hate, and xenophobia, we respond by demanding justice and insisting on our humanity. We call on everyone in the United States to stand now with immigrants and with communities defending their members.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity and human rights in the Americas.
