Streets of Minneapolis: A New Springsteen Song

by Isabelle Camoin ’26 on February 5, 2026

A&E - Music

Bruce Springsteen has returned and reinserted himself into musical history, and the narrative of
current political conflict in the United States. by releasing “Streets of Minneapolis.” This single
about Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s involvement in Minneapolis, MN, and the local
citizens’ reactions is worth a listen. The song takes a stand on the actions of ICE and joins the
city in protest to get “ICE out now.”

The song demonstrates the power of art’s ability to express situations that words cannot always
describe on their own. The song blatantly calls out President Donald Trump’s administration for
abusing its executive power by calling Trump “King Trump” and ICE agents, “Trump’s private
army from the DHS” and “Trump’s thugs.” The song was released on Wednesday, Jan. 28, and
incorporates ICE’s violent behavior of murdering U.S. citizens into its lyrics and documenting
history in song as these events play out.

“Here in our home they killed and roamed,” are lyrics that shake the soul of any listener who
cares about the life of democracy and freedom in a nation. Springsteen even quotes the
National Anthem when singing, “In the dawn’s early light / citizens stood for justice / their voices
ringing through the night.” In these lines, Springsteen highlights Americans, specifically
members of the community protesting in Minneapolis, who stand for justice by exercising their
First Amendment rights. In the city of Minneapolis, as this newspaper and other news sources
have reported, people have been protesting the increasingly authoritative and arbitrary
measures ICE has taken against those who live and have homes here in the U.S. Not to
mention, this has all taken place in temperatures averaging sub 10 degrees, or as Springsteen
puts it, “through the winter’s ice and cold.”

This is not the first time Springsteen has used his artistic talents to take a political stand. A
classic example of this is his creation and performance of “Born in the U.S.A.,” in which he
critiques the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War from the perspective of a disillusioned
veteran.

Springsteen also performed the song live in Minneapolis, and hours later it hit the top of iTunes
charts. Outside of reaching the top of the charts in a day, Springsteen has over 21 million
monthly listeners on Spotify. His audience is wide and the messages he includes in his lyrics are communicated to millions of listeners. The lyrics, “Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice,”
are all the more powerful because he is allowing listeners to hear Minneapolis’ voice as well
through song.

State Leaders React to the Presence of ICE in their Communities

by Madison Benoit ‘29 on February 5, 2026

News

As the country reacts to the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement related shootings in Minneapolis, MN, many states have begun to make changes to restrict ICE activities. In Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey announced new regulations and has made several legislative proposals. One of these proposals includes an executive order that would stop the state from entering a new cooperation agreement with ICE. The same order also prevents federal agents from making civil arrests in non-public areas of state-owned buildings. Governor Healy has also filed legislation that would prevent ICE agents from entering protected areas, including schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship. These actions are intended to prevent ICE from trampling the rights of Americans and committing unlawful actions.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul has shown support for banning formal cooperation agreements with ICE. This is especially notable in New York, as the state currently has 11 municipalities that have cooperation agreements with the agency. Hochul has emphasized that there is no need for New York police officers to assist with civil immigration enforcement. She was supported at the conference by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the Police Chief of Albany, Brendan Cox, and four of the five New York City district Attorneys.

The Department of Homeland Security has reacted to this policy with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating, “Our partnerships with state and local law enforcement are key to removing criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from American communities.” Hochul has directly stated that the new legislation proposal is a result of the murders of Reneé Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot by ICE officers in Minneapolis.

Similar moves to ban cooperation agreements have been taken up in several other states, including Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, and others. What exactly does this mean?

The cooperation agreements are known as a 287(g). Generally, this means that local law enforcement officials will check the immigration status of individuals they have already taken into custody. This is done by deputized local officers who will not only check their immigration status, but also have the power to begin the removal process by recommending either voluntary departure or a formal hearing. A voluntary removal would prevent the 5–10-year ban from entering the U.S. again. Although the 287(g) can vary, this is the most common agreement type. By banning these agreements, states are looking to limit the power of ICE while maintaining a strong separation between ICE and their local law enforcement.

Tragic Murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis

by Madison Benoit ‘29 on January 22, 2026

News

On Jan. 7, Renee Nicole Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis, Mn. Prior to the shooting, Good and her partner were among neighbors questioning ICE agents whose car had become stuck in the snow.

Good was behind the wheel of a Honda Pilot while her partner, Rebecca Good, stood behind the vehicle and questioned an ICE officer while both parties filmed videos of each other with their phones. The officer would go on to switch his phone to his left, non-dominant hand as he moved to stand in front of the vehicle. Two other officers then began to order Good to get out of the vehicle, but Good instead began to reverse the vehicle for a few feet and then turn to the right, away from the ICE agent who then opened fire, reportedly believing Good was attempting to run him over.

Good was shot multiple times from close range. Reports say she was not breathing and had “inconsistent, irregular, thready pulse activity.” Good was later pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis.

The Trump administration has repeatedly referred to Good as a “domestic terrorist” and claims she was attempting to “weaponize” her vehicle. Videos from the event refutes this statement. Officials from Minnesota argue that the ICE agent acted recklessly, and that the self-defense claim is invalid.

Since the fatal shooting, several videos of the event have gone viral online, which has continued to spark protests in Minneapolis as well as over the country. Within hours of the shooting, many protestors gathered at the scene where Good was shot and reports state that ICE agents deployed pepper spray upon those protestors. The site has now become a makeshift shrine in memory of Good.

Renee Good was 37 years old and a mother of three; she left behind a loving family including a six-year-old son, and two teenage children along with her wife Rebecca Good.

In a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune Donna Granger, Good’s mother said that her daughter was “probably terrified” during the confrontation with officers that saw her fatally shot and that she was “one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.”

Good’s family has since hired the same law firm which represented the family of George Floyd and plans to bring legal action. Good was shot only blocks from where Floyd was killed in 2020.

Tragic Murder of Alex Pretti: Tensions Escalate in Minnesota

by Shannon Kelly ’26 on January 1, 2026

News

On Saturday, Jan. 24, Alex Jeffery Pretti was murdered in the streets of East Neighborhood in South Minneapolis at the hands of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is Minneapolis’ second death through the actions of this subset of the Department of Homeland Security that many consider to have been unnecessarily violent and deadly. Minneapolis is emblematic of a national reckoning and opposition with the Trump Administration’s policy aimed at cracking down on immigration. Pretti’s death, along with Reneé Nicole Good’s, has sparked outrage and protest from Minnesotans near and far.

Videos that have spread all over social media highlight that Pretti was engaging in peaceful protest. There has been controversy regarding whether or not Pretti had a gun on him when interacting with ICE, though Minnesota is an open-carry state, and it has been verified that Pretti had a valid permit. Pretti’s parents have also released a statement that said their son did not have a gun and was holding a phone in his hand, which can be seen in multiple videos from the scene.

The video also shows roughly seven officers in the video surrounding Pretti. The officers are all masked in the video, which many people believe is feeding into a culture of anonymity and fear. Pretti’s murder has highlighted a dire and deeply fragile resistance toward the Trump Administration’s actions regarding immigration.

On Jan. 25, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos.” Criticism of the President’s statement includes using inflammatory and accusatory rhetoric to politicize and polarize the murders of civilians. Democrats have also begun an impeachment resolution against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Part of the DHS’s mission states that “with honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.” U.S. Senator from Maine, Angus King, highlighted the fact that these agents are “armed people with masks and telling people they can’t photograph what they are doing and intimidating protesters,” ultimately concluding “that’s not American.” He emphasized that “these people are acting outside the Constitution. They are ignoring our laws and we just cannot keep supporting that.”

In a time of such violence, resilient efforts must be acknowledged. Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have been gathering to protest in freezing temperatures, businesses have temporarily closed, and the people are exercising their right to show dissent to an administration that is arguably not functioning within its legal parameters.

Pretti sought to be a “force of good in the world” and was a registered nurse in the ICU unit at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis. One of his coworkers at the hospital, Dr. Aasma Shaukat, explained that, “he was always looking for opportunities to help.” His parents have released a statement saying, “Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting.” Many people have been present at vigils honoring Pretti’s life in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Chief executives of more than 60 large Minnesota companies have released a letter calling for the need for tension to lessen in the state of Minnesota. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have released a statement saying that Pretti’s murder “should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.”

Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz has called on Trump to pull ICE agents out of Minnesota. He said something that might be necessary for us all, as one country, to hear: “We are tired, but we’re resolved. We’re peaceful, but we’ll never forget. We’re angry, but we won’t give up hope. And above all, we are clearly unified.”