Across the United States, nurses and community members have been gathering in solemn vigils to honour the memory of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse at a veterans hospital who was killed by federal agents. The events, organised by National Nurses United, have seen heartfelt tributes in cities from Washington DC to New York, as the political battle over funding for the Department of Homeland Security intensifies in Congress.
Nationwide Tributes in Freezing Conditions
Despite experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in 150 years, approximately a thousand people braved the icy conditions in Washington DC on Wednesday night. They assembled in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters, just a block from the White House, to pay their respects to Pretti and to voice their opposition to continued funding for US immigration and border agencies.
The crowd held candles and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial, with chants of "No more funding for CBP, no more funding for DHS! Stop killing our neighbors!" echoing through the frigid air. Similar vigils have taken place in Portland, Virginia; Eugene, Oregon; Chicago; New York; and San Diego, demonstrating a widespread outpouring of grief and solidarity.
A Personal Connection for Attendees
For Nolan Lee, a college student originally from Minnesota, the vigil in DC provided a poignant sense of community. Having grown up near where both George Floyd and Renee Good—another victim of federal agents—were murdered, Lee expressed how the news of Pretti's death had deeply affected him. "When I got the news on Saturday morning that Alex Pretti had been executed by federal agents on the street as a legal observer, it broke me," he shared.
Lee emphasised that the issue extends beyond Minneapolis, stating, "People are going missing in the suburbs. People are going missing in rural communities. It is not isolated to just the city of Minneapolis. It is an attack on the state of Minnesota." He found comfort in being surrounded by fellow Minnesotans and supporters at the event, hoping it would spur collective action.
Political Repercussions and Funding Debate
The killings of Pretti and poet Renee Good have sent shockwaves through the nation, coinciding with a critical juncture in US politics. A key spending bill that would increase funding for the Department of Homeland Security failed to pass the US Senate on Thursday, following Democratic opposition. While five of six spending bills were approved, the DHS funding has been granted a two-week extension as negotiations continue.
Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw from Virginia addressed the gathering, criticising the agency's performance. "This week, we need the United States Senate to take a stand to protect the American people from the brutality that ICE and CBP and the Department of Homeland Security are engaged in," he asserted, framing the opposition as a "critical fight" for democracy and American values.
Voices from the Nursing Community
Within the nursing profession, Pretti's death has resonated profoundly. Christine Grant, a nurse at the Washington VA Medical Center and a member of National Nurses United, declared, "It's a nurse's job to ask: how may I serve? We have to stand up and say: enough. This is not who we are!"
Daniel Amyx, a nurse at the Minneapolis VA, created hundreds of lapel buttons to commemorate his colleague, noting an overwhelming response from staff. However, he recounted a telling moment when a senior VA official declined to wear one, highlighting tensions within the institution. Fighting back tears, Amyx urged the crowd, "Alex Pretti has been relieved. Those of you standing here are the next shift. We need to get that work done."
Broader Protests and Calls for Action
The vigils have sparked broader activism, including a nationwide shutdown on Friday where activists advocated for "no work, no school, no shopping" in protest against the Trump administration's immigration policies. Susan Benesch, founder of the Dangerous Speech Project, expressed that these events have "galvanized people in a way that, honestly, I've been longing to see," though she warned it feels like "the last minute" for American democracy.
As the Rev Chris Antal, a Unitarian Universalist minister and former VA chaplain, led a moment of silence in DC, the sound of a whistle—now a nationwide warning signal for federal agents—pierced the air, followed by a collective death wail. This powerful display underscored the deep emotional and political currents swirling around Pretti's death and the ongoing debate over homeland security funding.
