Jimmy Kimmel became emotional when discussing federal agents killing ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“I spent the weekend like probably a lot of you did, looking at my phone and just feeling shocked and sick at what’s happening in Minneapolis,” the late-night host said on Monday night during his opening monologue.
“One video after another: screaming people being torn from their families, Americans, people who were born in the United States, being pulled out of their cars for the crime of having an accent or whatever," he continued. "Children, small children, babies being tear-gassed, taken into custody, separated from their parents.”
A clearly exasperated Kimmel called ICE agents a "gang of poorly trained, shamefully led, mask-wearing goons" who are "committing vile, heartless, and even criminal acts. It’s sickening to watch, and it’s frustrating to watch.”
Kimmel then spoke directly to Americans who elected Donald Trump, saying that “fellow Americans executed by ICE” should be a red flag to those voters.
“Is that the law and order that you voted for? Where are the reasonable voices on the right? We need some decent people on the right to show some courage and some common sense,” he said. “Every day is a nightmare now.”
Kimmel also revealed that he and his wife have family in Minneapolis who are “afraid to take their kids to school” and “afraid to go to work.” He added, “I can only imagine how people who aren’t white feel about this!”
Over the weekend, DHS agents fatally shot Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti had no violent criminal history, only minor traffic violations, and possessed a valid permit to carry a firearm. Pretti worked as an ICU nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital system.
Earlier this month, a white woman in Minneapolis, Renee Good, was killed during a separate enforcement action with ICE agents.