We are horrified and heartbroken over the murder of Alex Pretti. Alex was a union ICU nurse who was killed by ICE while stepping in to do what we do best as healthcare workers: help.
When a nurse is killed for trying to save someone, no one is safe – period. This is the moment in the poem “first they came”* for all of us. Regardless of whether you are a student, a parent, or a helper in your community, we are at risk. Regardless of whether you live in Minnesota or Washington State or Montana, we are at risk. Regardless of if you’re an immigrant or born in the United States, we are at risk.
Over the weekend, we saw tens of thousands of working people coming together across race to demand ICE out of our communities. We are justified in our anger and active to demand change.
Our power comes from how we look out for each other, and this administration didn’t expect to see working people standing together like we are.
This moment we’re living through has to mean more than grief. We’ll keep fighting, keep organizing, keep speaking out. It must be a turning point.
This administration wants to paralyze us with fear. But now is more important than ever to continue taking action and standing together with our communities.
Jane Hopkins
President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW