Bruce Springsteen has criticized Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in his latest song, dedicated to Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.
The renowned musician, known for his hit ‘Born in the USA,’ unveiled a new track titled ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ on Wednesday (January 28). The song is intended as a response to the “state terror” ongoing in the city.
“It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” Springsteen announced on the social media platform Bluesky.
The international community was outraged following the deaths of Renee, 37, and Alex, 37, at the hands of ICE agents in separate occurrences.
Renee was shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross after she had just dropped her children at school on January 7. Meanwhile, ICU nurse Alex was killed by federal agents amidst city protests on Saturday (January 24).
The agents involved in Alex’s shooting are currently on leave.
As of January 29, Renee and Alex’s deaths have brought the count of people killed in interactions with ICE this year to eight, reports the Guardian.
These incidents have increased tensions in the United States, leading the president to declare a shift toward ‘de-escalating’ operations in Minnesota.
ICE has intensified its raids under Trump, who has been advocating for a more aggressive stance on immigration enforcement and deportations.
In his lyrics, Springsteen criticizes two aspects of the incidents.
One line addresses the harsh treatment Alex faced during his last moments.
Video footage depicts the 37-year-old trying to assist a woman who had been pushed into the snow.
Later, Alex is seen being pepper-sprayed, and a firearm appears to be drawn from his lower body in one segment of the footage.
He is subsequently beaten by agents before being shot. CBS Minnesota reports hearing ‘at least ten’ gunshots.
Springsteen refers to ICE agents as Trump’s ‘federal thugs’ as a literal descriptor and as a nod to the derogatory language used by the Trump administration.
The government has repeatedly referred to immigrants and deportees as ‘thugs,’ such as when celebrating the revocation of over 100,000 visas due to alleged ‘criminal activity.’
This line criticizes ICE and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies as tools for advancing Trump’s political objectives rather than neutral law-enforcement entities. Calling Trump ‘King’ critiques his perceived authoritarian tendencies and depicts DHS as a personal militia instead of an independent agency. This resonates with criticism of Operation Metro Surge, the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Springsteen also targets Trump’s key allies, who have defended the recent shootings.
Stephen Miller, identified as a significant proponent of hardline immigration policies, previously asserted that agents possess ‘federal immunity’ while performing their duties.
This notion was reiterated by the DHS shortly after Renee’s death.
Calls have emerged for the dismissal of Kristi Noem, appointed by Trump as DHS secretary, following her claims that Alex had ‘attacked’ officers and labeled the circumstances preceding Good’s shooting as an ‘act of domestic terrorism,’ according to PBS.
Springsteen highlights their ‘dirty lies’ and the growing distrust in Trump’s administration.
This particular lyric underscores the excessive force used by ICE officers, trampling both literally and figuratively on people’s rights.
It challenges the government’s assertion that federal agents were merely enforcing the law in Minneapolis.
In actuality, the operation has faced legal challenges, as noted by the Minneapolis government, and criticism from locals accusing ICE and federal agents of overreaching, including conducting warrantless stops and detentions and employing aggressive tactics.
The lyric reveals the injustice that transpired; where restraint and compassion should have prevailed, there was instead unwarranted violence and death.
It echoes the widespread distress and disbelief experienced by many within the community and globally.