On January 24th, ICE agents brutally murdered ICU nurse and AFGE member Alex Pretti. As a nurse, Alex dedicated his life to caring for the most vulnerable in society, and that’s exactly what he was doing when he was beaten and gunned down in the streets by ICE. Trump says these raids are about fighting crime and fraud, but this couldn't be further from the truth! Their purpose is to scapegoat immigrants for the crises the billionaires have created and have no solutions for, and to divide working people and terrorize us into submission in the face of historic attacks on our rights.

These deportations do not make anyone safer. For healthcare workers already stretched thin by unsafe staffing ratios, lack of adequate resources, and burnout, the presence of ICE in our communities has made it even harder to deliver care to our immigrant patients: many are terrified to leave their homes to seek care for fear of being abducted or killed by ICE, and many are unable to go to work, meaning they won’t be able to pay for food, housing, utilities, or medical bills. ICE has invaded hospitals, and kidnapped patients receiving care. Immigrant detainees are being denied medical care in ICE detention facilities. This cannot go on! Healthcare unions need to follow the lead of the labor movement in Minnesota, and call for a national strike to shut down Trump and ICE!

Healthcare workers across the country, both union and non-union, demand that the union leadership of AFGE, NNU, SEIU, their state-wide affiliates, and other healthcare worker unions call for a nationwide strike against Trump and ICE.

We need a nationwide strike to demand:

• Justice for Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and all those murdered by ICE!

• Keep our workplaces ICE-free! Healthcare worker unions to train members in non-cooperation with ICE, and to make it a part of every contract campaign – if the boss doesn’t enforce it, workers will!

• Abolish ICE! Fund healthcare, affordable housing, and schools

This petition was initiated by (all in personal capacity):

• Hannah Boroff - PASNAP, registered nurse, Philadelphia

• Sahana S – registered nurse, Philadelphia

• Seamus Whelan – MNA, registered nurse, Boston

• Katie H – pharmacy technician, Boston

• Jack B – AFGE, psychologist

• Sanya W – phlebotomist, Grand Rapids

• Sarah C – registered nurse, Chicago

• Stephanie N - registered nurse, Madison

• Isaac Miller – UAW 4121, research coordinator, Seattle

• Sarah G – lactation support at WIC, Seattle

• Sarah Champernowne – WFSE 443 (AFSCME), epidemiologist, Seattle

• Erin Brightwell – UPTE–CWA 9119, speech pathologist, San Francisco

• Meghan B – clinical laboratory technologist, Durham

• Ranson Thomas – registered nurse (educator), Gainesville