Calling on the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to Resign

Governor Kathy Hochul today called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign and delivered remarks in response to the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 I need to speak plainly about something that should stop every American in their tracks. Yesterday in Minneapolis, federal immigration agents killed another American citizen in broad daylight. His name was Alex Pretti. He was 37 years old. He was an ICU nurse, someone whose job was saving lives. Video shows him doing something he was trained to do — to help people.

He was trying to reach over and help a woman in need when she was thrown to the ground by federal agents. And within seconds, federal agents threw him to the ground and fired a shot, not one, but a barrage of bullets into his body on a public sidewalk in America.

The federal government claims the killing was justified. This nurse with nothing more than his cell phone in his hand, that he was trying to kill them — that's their story. But anyone who's seen this horrific video, multiple videos, knows that this is a shameless, boldface lie. This is not a threat that needed to be neutralized. It was a civilian exercising the free right to protest.

And this is a continuation of a deadly pattern, a pattern of violence. It is well known that earlier this month, federal agents also shot a mother of three in the face when she just extended a greeting to him. Two American families destroyed; confidence in federal law enforcement shattered.

At the same time, ICE agents are arresting children — a 5-year-old returning from preschool — using them as bait. A 2-year-old taken on the way home from a grocery store with her dad. Now we have children caught up in armed engagement, scooped off the street by masked men while our federal leaders feed the false narratives instead of taking responsibility.

But videos don't lie. And don't stop believing what your eyes tell you. Their cruelty, these instances, what is going on and unfolding in streets of America today shocks the conscience of every human being with a heart.

When federal agents use lethal force against civilians and then prevent state authorities from fully investigating, it violates the basic principles of a democracy. What it does is makes everyone feel unsafe — everyone. Nationwide over the last 13 months, ICE has detained hundreds of U.S. citizens, and dozens of people have died in their custody.

Now, Donald Trump's handpicked leader of the Department of Homeland Security has proven to be unable and unwilling to follow the law to stop these killings. Kristi Noem has referred to these peaceful protestors as “domestic terrorists” and lied about the shooting victims being the aggressors. She told law enforcement officers to put on masks and military fatigues to basically treat the American public as the enemy.

She has shown a profound disregard for human life and created a culture where people feel unrestrained in how they're handling encounters with the people in this country. Kristi Noem has forfeited her right to lead, and I'm calling on her to resign as Secretary of Homeland Security or Donald Trump to do the right thing and just fire her. And if not, she must be removed or impeached. And Gregory Bovino — who has helped lead, and defend and escalate these operations — should also be fired.

It's a shame I have to say this in America, but no one is above the law. No one, not an ICE agent, not a federal officer, not the President of the United States. And make no mistake, when these people who have abused the power entrusted to them by their offices are finally out of power, states, including New York, will hold them accountable.

I'll have more to report on further actions the State of New York will be taking in the upcoming days.