‘Stand up, speak out’: Bill Clinton urges Americans after Minneapolis killings

Washington: Former president Bill Clinton on Sunday condemned what he called “horrible scenes” in Minneapolis after two US citizens were killed by federal agents, urging Americans to protest what he described as unacceptable government conduct.

“It is up to all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy to stand up, speak out, and show that our nation still belongs to We the People,” Clinton said, warning that Trump administration officials have “lied to us” about the fatal encounters and used increasingly aggressive tactics in their immigration crackdown.

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The fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a federal immigration officer has ignited a national debate and drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans over President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. However, Trump on Sunday night continued to place blame on Democratic officials.

“Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media network.

The president reiterated his call for tougher immigration enforcement, urging Minnesota officials to cooperate with federal officers and “turn over” individuals in the United States illegally. He also announced he would push Congress to pass legislation banning so-called sanctuary cities.

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Trump’s reaction to the shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti came hours after the incident. In an earlier Truth Social post, he accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inciting “Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric.”

Administration officials have defended the actions of immigration officers. Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed without evidence that Pretti was “an assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.”

Vice President JD Vance echoed the criticism of local leaders, describing the situation in Minneapolis as “engineered chaos” that was “the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities.”