Singer-songwriter Billie Eilish has issued a passionate call to "fellow celebrities" to speak out against the recent and recurring tragedies in Minneapolis, particularly in light of the actions taken by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). In a post on Instagram, the nine-time Grammy winner shared a photo of herself with the caption: "Hey my fellow celebrities, are you going to speak up? Or...?"
This call to action was preceded by posts regarding the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot by ICE agents on Saturday. Pretti, who was peacefully protesting and attempting to assist individuals near the agents, was tackled to the ground and shot 10 times in quick succession.
Similar to the murder of Renee Good a few weeks prior, the killing has been justified by the Trump administration and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as "self-defense," despite the lack of evidence that Pretti ever drew his legally owned weapon. Video footage shows that Pretti was defenseless before being repeatedly shot.
The Trump administration cited Pretti's decision to legally carry a gun as evidence that he was looking for a violent confrontation with officers. However, carrying a gun is a right guaranteed by Minnesota state law and the Second Amendment.
The tragedy has sparked mass protests, and several celebrities at the Sundance Film Festival have spoken out on the issue. However, according to Eilish, more needs to be done, and silence is not an option.
Her brother and frequent collaborator, Finneas, shared a video that Eilish also reposted. In the clip, Finneas stated: "The conservative argument that allows school shootings to continue has always basically boiled down to, 'We have to protect the Second Amendment.' Every argument I've seen for why Alex Pretti's death was justified yesterday is like, 'Well, he had a gun.'"
Finneas continues: "This guy was being beaten to a pulp on the ground. He didn't draw his weapon. He had a weapon on him legally. And they still shot the f*ck out of him!"
Several stars have spoken out against ICE's actions, including Mark Ruffalo, Natalie Portman, Bruce Springsteen, and pop star Olivia Rodrigo. Rodrigo shared on her Instagram stories that ICE's actions were "unconscionable," adding that "we are not powerless." She reshared a story from political commentator Ben Sheehan, who described ICE as a "murderous federal agency terrorizing an American city" and called on the Senate to block any additional funding for the agency.
Eilish has previously criticized ICE after Renee Good was fatally shot in Minneapolis. She shared a post calling the agency a "federally funded and supported terrorist group" that was "tearing apart families, terrorizing citizens, and now murdering innocent people." The singer also reposted a call on the US to "abolish ICE," listing 32 people who reportedly died in ICE custody last year.
