In recent weeks, our nation has been shaken by the tragic deaths of Renée Good, a mother of three, and Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and veteran caregiver. Both were killed during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Their deaths have left families devastated, communities on edge, and Americans across the country, myself included, with profound and justified concerns about the use of force by federal agents acting under the authority of the government we entrust to protect us.
Twenty years ago, I took an oath and served in uniform to defend the rights enshrined in our Constitution. The very rights that make America a beacon of freedom and opportunity. Those rights are not conditional. They extend to every person in every community, not only to those whose views align with our own. As a veteran, I understand that love of country cannot be separated from respect for its founding principles, and our commitment to those principles must be unwavering.
When life is lost under circumstances that raise more questions than answers, it tears at the fabric of our democracy and weakens the trust between the governed and those sworn to protect them. Upholding constitutional rights and respecting law enforcement are not competing values. Federal law enforcement and immigration agents carry out difficult and often dangerous work. But public trust depends on confidence that the law is enforced fairly, that force is only used when necessary and proportional and that every loss of life is met with full transparency, rigorous review and accountability.
At a time of deep national unease, the country requires measured, principled, and unifying leadership. This administration must de-escalate tensions, exercise restraint in its words and actions, uphold the Constitution, and restore public confidence in the values that bind us together as a nation.
The families of Renée Good and Alex Pretti deserve transparency. Our nation deserves accountability. And we all deserve the assurance that the rights our service members have fought to defend are respected and protected by all who wield authority.