Continued ICE violence met with outrage, calls for more protests in Bellingham
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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A growing chorus of voices, including Whatcom County residents and local and statewide elected leaders, have joined the outrage over the killings of peaceful protesters in Minnesota by masked federal law-enforcement officials.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, whose 2nd District includes Whatcom County, denounced the killing on Saturday of Alex Pretti, which was seen in widely circulated videos that have been verified by major U.S. media organizations.
“We are heartbroken and outraged by the news of yet another killing of an American citizen carried out by federal agents in Minneapolis. We mourn this needless death alongside the victim’s family, the Minneapolis community, and every American who is rightly horrified by the administration’s indefensible actions,” Larsen said in an emailed statement.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown condemned the Trump administration, calling the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agents “un-American” in a news conference at the state Capitol in Olympia on Monday.
“It’s outrageous in the extreme, and it has to stop. As angry as we both are, we are focused on preparing to the fullest extent possible for a similar escalation by ICE against our will here in Washington state,” Ferguson said.
State Rep. Alex Ramel, D-Bellingham, whose 40th District includes part of Bellingham, told The Herald that it was “horrifying” to watch the videos of Pretti’s killing.
“The agents responsible must be held to account. But we also have to see that the administration’s violent rhetoric, escalatory tactics, inadequate training and promised immunity for these agents is just as culpable for this tragedy,” Ramel said in a text message.
Several local protests have been held In response the recent ICE crackdown, including at the U.S.-Canada border in Blaine, a U.S. Border Patrol facility in Ferndale, at the Federal Building in Bellingham and at Hilton hotels in Bellingham, alleging that the hotel chain was renting rooms to federal agents in the U.S.
Another protest was planned for 4 p.m. Monday at the Federal Building, along with a 4:30 p.m. Monday vigil for Minnesota victims in Red Square at Western Washington University, according to an email Monday from Indivisible Bellingham.
At Sunday’s rally, participant Jason Hart of Bellingham carried a hand-lettered sign that said “End ICE cruelty” as he marched with dozens of others.
“They, they claim to be police, but police are here to protect us, not, not take us down. It’s completely legal where he was and ... It’s insane. It’s insane,” Hart told The Herald in an interview.
On Jan. 13, the Whatcom County Council passed a resolution to guarantee human dignity and civil rights for all local residents. Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund promised “A Bellingham For All” in message on the city’s You Tube channel.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat, issued a statement Saturday as Democratic Party leaders threatened a government shutdown over a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.
“President Trump has crossed the line. Americans will not stand for masked, armed troops roaming their neighborhoods. ICE is not trained in this capacity and should not be on streets. This incident should be investigated immediately and not politicized by the president,” Cantwell said.
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