As Minnesota voters cast their ballots, many are choosing to honor two victims of a controversial immigration enforcement operation by leaving their "I Voted" stickers at memorial sites. The tributes are for Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.
The state was the focal point of one of the largest immigration crackdowns in recent memory, known as "Operation Metro Surge." The initiative, which critics say was heavy-handed and racially motivated, has fueled widespread disapproval of the Trump administration's immigration policies and become a flashpoint in the election.
One retired physician, who placed a sticker at Pretti's memorial, recalled the 37-year-old nurse with admiration. "I knew Alex Pretti. I just knew that he was a competent nurse — a really, really liked guy. And he was assassinated," he told The Guardian. He went on to criticize the president, saying, "The country has humiliated itself by putting in a bad man, a very, very bad character … Today is a chance for America to say whether they support this kind of thing."
Pretti was killed in January while filming ICE agents during the operation. His family has accused the Justice Department of shielding the officers involved and withholding evidence. "Share the evidence now so prosecutors can follow the facts and hold these men accountable," his father, Michael Pretti, demanded. "Do your job and stop shielding Alex's killers."
Another voter, who left a sticker at Good's memorial, told The Guardian that the act made his vote feel more connected to the events of the past year. "I felt like my vote felt a little bit more in touch with some of the things that happened earlier this year in the city," he said. "So, I felt like it was just the right thing to do — to come pay some respects and attach my vote to what happened here."
Good was killed in early January when ICE agents fired multiple shots into her vehicle at close range, an incident captured on video by a bystander. Her family and partner have filed lawsuits against administration officials, alleging the operation was "designed to be a violent and discriminatory campaign targeted at Minnesotans on the basis of race and national origin." Their lawyers stated, "Renee was one of those casualties."
The memorial tributes come as Minnesota has become a battleground over immigration policy. Trump officials have announced an anti-fraud push in the state, which critics see as an attempt to suppress voter turnout. Meanwhile, the Pretti family's accusations of a DOJ cover-up have intensified scrutiny of the administration's actions.
The election has also drawn attention to high-profile races, including Klobuchar's historic run for governor and the competitive 2nd District contest. But for many voters, the stickers left at these memorials are a poignant reminder of the human toll of federal policy.
