Some Pennsylvania state House lawmakers have taken a stand against further funding of DHS and ICE in the upcoming federal budget after Minnesota ICU Nurse Alex Pretti was shot 10 times and killed by federal agents on Saturday. Pretti was the second citizen shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis this month. Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was fatally shot on Jan. 7.
Democratic Pennsylvania state Rep. Tarik Khan, (Philadelphia County) and several Democratic colleagues are introducing a resolution demanding Congress withhold additional federal appropriations funding over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions unless “meaningful accountability and safety reforms” to both federal agencies are enacted.
“As a nurse and a lawmaker, I am grieving the loss of innocent life at the hands of federal agents,” said Khan. “These deaths were avoidable. No community should wake up to another killing in broad daylight, especially in a peaceful American city like Minneapolis. We deserve safety, transparency, and answers, not continued escalation and more violence.”
According to the House Democrats’ resolution, demands include:
· Clear and enforceable use-of-force standards.
· Independent reviews of serious incidents involving federal agents.
· Visible identification requirements during enforcement actions.
· Timely release of body-camera footage after deaths or when serious injury occurs.
· Stronger civil rights protections within DHS.
· Full cooperation by DHS and ICE with state and local authorities when serious incidents happen, including use of force and shootings.
Bob Harvie, Bucks County Commissioner and a Democratic candidate in May’s primary to challenge incumbent Republican Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) in November’s midterm elections, blamed the “horrific murder of Renee Good” and Alex Pretti on the “recklessness of Kristi Noem and Donald Trump.” And he said Fiztpatrick isn’t doing enough to stop it.
“Brian Fitzpatrick has cowered to this administration over and over again, and Americans are paying with their lives,” said Harvie.
In a statement posted Saturday, Fitzpatrick called to “lower the temperature, reject reckless rhetoric, condemn violence and hatred in all their forms, and lead with respect, restraint, and above all, humanity.” While he offered prayers for the families and loved ones of those killed as well as “all law enforcement officers across our nation,” he stopped short of naming federal agencies involved or victims, offered no declaration to stop the assaults on Americans and others in their communities, and did not call for an investigation.
AP News reported a growing number of Congressional Republicans who unlike Fitzpatrick are taking a stronger stand and calling for a “deeper investigation” into tactics used by ICE and DHS in Minnesota, which may signal increasing bipartisan support for greater scrutiny into Trump’s immigration ambitions.
Republicans pressing for more information include Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas and Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, pressed for more information.
“We deserve safety, transparency, and answers, not continued escalation and more violence.” – State Rep. Tarik Khan
The Pennsylvania House resolution demands accountability and job performance reforms of DHS and ICE enforcement officers while carrying out their duties.
“ICE doesn’t enforce the law, it breaks it, and it’s making this country less safe. People around the U.S. are contacting their senators to tell them not to pass additional funding for ICE, and I am happy to see that Pennsylvania state legislators are using their voices and power to join this call,” said Lucia Simonelli, a Democratic candidate in May’s growing primary election field for a chance to run against Fitzpatrick.
Conflicting narratives have been circling about both Good and Pretti as to their activities prior to their deaths.
BBC News reported after taking office in January 2025, Trump signed an executive order rescinding a Biden pilot program for ICE enforcement officers to wear body cameras. The news outlet said there is no published data regarding how many ICE officers wear body cameras as well as how, or if, body cameras are used at all to record incidents as they happen.
Khan criticized the federal administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
“President Trump and his enablers have unleashed chaos and fear in American communities by politicizing and militarizing federal agencies. This administration is using force and intimidation instead of accountability and answers. Violence, fear and abuse of power have no place in a democratic society, and we will continue to push back against their normalization,” Khan said.
Allegheny County state Rep. Arvind Venkat supports the resolution.
“Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a welcoming place for all. Immigration is the only source of population growth in our state. Virtually all of us have an immigration story,” Venkat said.
Centre County state Rep. Paul Takac called for accountability alongside respect for law enforcement.
READ: New Bucks County Sheriff Puts Community Safety First by Ending ICE ‘Task Force Model’ Partnership
“This resolution calls on our federal elected officials to ensure that DHS and ICE are held to the highest possible standards by protecting our communities while upholding our constitutional rights and freedoms,” Takac said.
A full list of the state representatives who signed onto the resolution may be found here.
As of publication, no Bucks County state representatives have signed on to support the resolution. To contact your Bucks County state House and Senate legislators visit here.
