Canty Joins 600 State Legislators in Statement Condemning ICE Killings, Occupation of Minneapolis

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, has joined more than 600 state legislators from over 48 states across the country to release a joint national statement regarding the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) occupation of Minneapolis, and the killings of Alex Pretti, Renee Nicole Good and others at the hands of DHS and ICE.

The shared statement reads:

“We, the undersigned state legislators from across this country, contend we are at a decisive moment in our nation’s history. For a nation founded 250 years ago on the basic and fundamental principles of freedom, liberty, and inalienable rights, having armed masked federal agents on our streets engaging in a campaign of wanton destruction threatens to destroy these foundational values that underpin our democracy.

“We are stepping into extraordinarily dangerous territory in this country and have reached an unimaginable point where ICE and Border Patrol agents have now, twice within one month, killed US citizens on camera while the federal government tells us not to believe our own eyes.

“Further, the vast majority of ICE arrests in our cities and suburbs are of those with no criminal record, while due process and search and seizure rights guaranteed by our Constitution are not just being violated daily: chillingly, per a leaked memo, these violations are sanctioned by the Department of Homeland Security.

“We stand with the people of Minnesota and demand that ICE and Border Patrol leave Minnesota immediately.

“We demand a full and independent investigation into the shootings and deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as others, over the last year.

“Finally, we demand the restoration of our American values and principles to our federal government, an end to the abductions and killings, an end to the occupation of our towns an cities, and an end to Congressional funding for ICE.”

Canty is one of 629 elected officials nationwide to sign on to the statement. Other supporting legislators represent states including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Washington, D.C.

“The deadly violence and reckless constitutional abuses ICE agents have been inflicting on Minnesotans are disgusting,” Canty said. “Following Alex Pretti’s murder, I attended a vigil where Illinoisans showed that, despite witnessing such awful escalations, our spirt of resistance wouldn’t be quelled. Our community has faced similar terrorizing in recent months, but we won’t back down from the specter of renewed danger. However, we shouldn’t have to resist. No one in this country should be forced to show strength against attacks like this. I join with my colleagues from across the country to call on the federal government to immediately end these unconstitutional and violent occupations of American cities by ICE agents so that people in Illinois, Minnesota and every other state can return to living in peace.”

In Illinois, Canty recently passed House Bill 1312, to better protect people from ICE violence at locations including hospitals, courthouses and daycares; as well as House Resolution 622, echoing many of the statement’s points in condemning federal violence and lawlessness, and specifically calling for DHS Secretary Noem’s immediate resignation, or impeachment.

The full joint statement can be found here.