Voters Leave Election Stickers at Memorials for People Killed by Federal Agents
Voters in Minneapolis left “I Voted” stickers at the memorials of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on November 3, turning the tributes to two people killed by federal agents into a visible Election Day gesture. The sites, decorated with flowers, portraits and messages, received dozens of stickers, witnesses said.
Good and Pretti, both U.S. citizens, were fatally shot in January during a federal immigration operation in the Twin Cities. Pretti, 37, was a nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Good, also 37, was a writer and mother of three. Their deaths have drawn scrutiny of federal agents’ actions; Good’s family filed civil lawsuits in October, and the federal investigation into Pretti’s death is ongoing.
In Houston, voters have placed more than 1,000 stickers at a tribute to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican builder who worked as a contractor and was killed by an ICE officer in July. His son Ronaldo began the gesture after voting on October 19, when Texas opened its early-voting period. Other voters followed, with some dedicating their ballots in Salgado Araujo’s honor and on behalf of immigrants without voting rights.
In Minneapolis, community members involved in rapid-response work during the immigration operation have shifted attention to elections. Minnesota voters are choosing candidates for governor, Senate and the House. A retired physician who had worked with Pretti left a sticker at his memorial and said the election offered a chance to express opposition to the administration’s actions.
A progressive pastor in a Somali neighborhood said she was watching over a polling place to help ensure people could vote. No federal law enforcement officers had been seen at polling sites, despite administration threats to deploy them.
Voters Turn Memorials to Federal Shooting Victims Into Election Day Tributes
Voters are making their ballots count as a public response to federal immigration enforcement. On November 3, Minneapolis residents placed “I Voted” stickers at tributes to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were two Americans shot dead by federal personnel during January’s Twin Cities operation.
The memorials, already covered with flowers, portraits and messages, received dozens of stickers. A retired physician who worked with Pretti left one at the site and described the election as an opportunity for Americans to register their opposition to the administration’s actions.
The gesture also appeared in Houston, where a late-October count showed over 1,000 stickers at a memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a construction contractor killed by an ICE officer in July. His son began the tribute after voting on October 19, and others followed. Some dedicated their votes to him and to immigrants who cannot cast ballots.
Good’s family filed civil lawsuits in October. The federal investigation into Pretti’s death is continuing, while his parents have criticized federal officials over the handling of evidence and communication. The killings have made the consequences of the immigration operation an immediate election issue for some voters.
In Minneapolis, a pastor kept watch at a polling place to help ensure access to voting. Federal officers had not been seen at polling sites, despite administration threats to deploy them. Minnesota voters were choosing candidates for governor, Senate and the House.
Election Stickers at Memorials Bring Immigration Enforcement Into the Vote
The election-day tributes at memorials for people killed during federal immigration operations are a pointed expression of opposition to the Trump administration’s enforcement campaign. On November 3, Minneapolis voters placed dozens of “I Voted” stickers at the sites honoring Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Both U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in January during an operation in the Twin Cities. The memorials display flowers, portraits and notes denouncing the immigration agency and Donald Trump. A retired physician who worked with Pretti left a sticker and said the election gave voters a chance to signal whether they support the administration’s approach.
A similar tribute has taken shape in Houston. More than 1,000 stickers had been left by late October at a memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a construction contractor killed by an ICE officer in July. His son started it after voting on October 19; other voters followed, including people dedicating their ballots to immigrants unable to vote.
The deaths remain under investigation or legal challenge. Good’s family filed civil lawsuits in October, and the federal investigation into Pretti’s killing is ongoing. His parents have publicly pressed federal leaders to share evidence and faulted their communication after his death.
Minnesota voters were choosing statewide and congressional candidates. A pastor in a Minneapolis neighborhood said she was present at a polling place to support access to voting. No federal officers had been seen at polling sites, although the administration had threatened deployment.
Reported by The Guardian US, FOX 10 Phoenix, Newsweek.
