Billie Eilish Encourages Celebrities to Share Their Voices on ICE Shootings
Billie Eilish Calls Out Celebrities for Silence Amid Minneapolis Tensions
Billie Eilish has voiced her frustration with fellow celebrities for their lack of response to the turmoil in Minneapolis as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues its controversial operations in the area.
In an Instagram Story posted Monday morning, January 26, Eilish shared a photo of herself with a questioning expression, captioning it, “hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up?”
Her post followed the news of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 24 during an immigration enforcement operation. The Trump administration has claimed that the officer acted in self-defense, alleging that Pretti posed a threat with his handgun. However, witness videos suggest that Pretti was not holding his gun when he was shot, and it had allegedly been removed from his holster prior to the shooting. Pretti’s family confirmed that he had a permit for a concealed handgun in Minnesota, according to the Associated Press.
Eilish’s brother and collaborator, Finneas, also expressed his outrage in a video shared on her Story. He criticized the justification for Pretti’s death, arguing, “The conservative argument that allows school shootings to continue has always basically boiled down to, ‘We have to protect the Second Amendment.’” He further stated, “Shut the f–k up! This guy was being beaten to a pulp on the ground. He didn’t draw his weapon. He had a weapon on him legally. And they still shot the f–k out of him!”
Both Eilish and Finneas have been outspoken against ICE’s ongoing presence in Minneapolis, which has now resulted in two civilian fatalities. Just weeks before Pretti’s death, another incident involved ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good; similarly, the administration claimed self-defense, although witness footage contradicted this narrative.
In her acceptance speech for the 2026 MLK Jr. Beloved Community Award for Environmental Justice on January 17, Eilish lamented the deteriorating conditions in her community. She said, “We’re seeing our neighbors being kidnapped, peaceful protesters being assaulted and murdered, our civil rights being stripped,” asserting that many Americans “no longer feel safe in our own homes or in our streets.”
Eilish is not alone in her stance. Olivia Rodrigo also spoke out over the recent violence in Minneapolis, stating, “ICE’s actions are unconscionable but we are not powerless. our actions matter. I stand with Minnesota.”
