00:00.
00:05.
00:10First, after a weekend of time.
00:15.
00:20.
00:25immigration crackdown since the 1st of December last year has led to the fatal killing.
00:30Now of two people by government officials, most recently Alex Pretty.
00:35on Saturday who was shot several times after being forced to the ground.
00:40His killing then has only added to those tensions in the city of Minneapolis.
00:45with local residents taking to the streets to protest the presence of ICE.
00:50Let's bring in Philip Terl now, our international...
00:55...to talk a little bit about those scenes in Minnesota and in Minneapolis.
01:00In particular, Philip and something that's been striking...
01:05...since the killing of Alex Pretty over...
01:10...the weekend is the number of American...
01:15...former presidents who have now begun to speak out, specifically Barack Obama.
01:20Yes, and this is something that is quite unusual in...
01:25...normal times in the United States outside of the situation we're seeing at the moment where...
01:30...when you are president, once you leave office, you remain silent or you have your own...
01:35...life with your own affairs, but you don't intervene in politics to let your successor...
01:40...do what they have to do. This time around we have not just one, but two former presidents.
01:45Bill Clinton and Barack Obama who have spoken out against the events in Minnesota.
01:50...over the past couple of weeks, the two killings there, one of René Goode and then...
01:55...yesterday, this killing of Alex Pretty, the nurse who is aged...
02:00...and Barack Obama describing horrible scenes which...
02:05...he said he never thought would take place in the United States.
02:08...Bill Clinton saying it was...
02:10...all unacceptable and that Americans would stand up for their values and speak out because...
02:15...if we give freedoms away that have been earned over 250 years we may never...
02:20...get them back. So stirring cries I think because basically Donald Trump...
02:25...since he first took office a year ago has consistently...
02:30...talked about Joe Biden and been very rude about Joe Biden, blaming Joe Biden for...
02:35...all the woes in the United States. If it isn't Joe Biden he was also critical of Barack Obama.
02:40...about the Democrats. I think this has irritated these two former presidents to such a state.
02:45...that they feel now that they have got nothing more to do but to stand up and to voice their...
02:50...support for the protesters there and for the American people to say look...
02:55...if you don't deal with this now things could get even worse in the future.
02:59And look obviously...
03:00...Clinton and Obama are both Democratic presidents. What though about Republicans...
03:05...because most Republicans despite the increasing authoritarianism...
03:10...under this Donald Trump administration have not spoken out against the US president?
03:14Well it's beginning and...
03:15...and I think Donald Trump is being pushed into a corner...
03:18...we've seen Donald Trump himself in an...
03:20...the Wall Street Journal giving way to two issues...
03:24...saying first...
03:25...of all that we are reviewing everything...
03:27...which is something that he wouldn't have said before...
03:28...he's been giving a hundred...
03:30...percent support to the members of ICE...
03:33...saying that they were doing a tremendous job...
03:35...and asked about what was going on in Minnesota.
03:38That's the first point.
03:40And the second point is that there are Republicans...
03:42...who are beginning to show dissatisfaction...
03:45...and basically they are pretty appalled by what has been going on over the last...
03:50...a few weeks with all these interventions by ICE...
03:53...and they're now calling for a...
03:55...proper investigation into the killing of Alex Priti...
03:58...we've seen all these images...
04:00...of this shooting taking place...
04:02...there are certainly two completely conflicting...
04:05...reports of what happened first of all from the Trump administration...
04:10...Kirstie Noem, the secretary of the department...
04:15...of Homeland Fair saying that this was someone who was opening fire...
04:20...about these officers who was trying to create trouble...
04:23...and was a menace and that's...
04:25...why they were protecting themselves...
04:26...but when you look at the video of what happened...
04:29...it's pretty obvious he...
04:30...he was just holding a mobile phone...
04:31...he didn't have a gun in his hands...
04:33...although he did have a gun on him that was taken away...
04:35...by these ICE officers...
04:37...and that he was shot in cold blood...
04:39...so what they're calling...
04:40...for these Republicans is a proper inquiry into all of this...
04:42...this has been taken out of the hands of the FBI...
04:45...and given to Homeland Security...
04:47...and I think many people in the United States will be...
04:50...worried about the way this is going on...
04:52...and as this is happening...
04:53...there are two federal court...
04:55...hearings taking place today in the US...
04:57...the first one...
04:58...is a judge who's hearing arguments on whether...
05:00...to temporarily halt the immigration crackdown in Minnesota...
05:03...and the other one...
05:05...there is a separate hearing which will be held...
05:07...after a judge issued a temporary restraining order...
05:10...which blocks federal agents from destroying or altering evidence...
05:13...related to the shooting.
05:15...of Alex Pretty.
05:16It's come to such an extent now...
05:18...that people are so worried.
05:20...that the administration will try to cover up...
05:22...destroy the evidence...
05:23...so that the truth will never be known.
05:24All right.
05:25Philip Tell, thank you very much indeed...
05:27...and let's bring in now...
05:29...Kennie Bur...
05:30...Bergos.
05:31He's a Democrat.
05:32He used to work for the New York State Assembly.
05:35He joined...
05:35He joins us live now then...
05:36...from New York.
05:38Hello to you...
05:39...and thanks for speaking to us.
05:40...on France 24.
05:41Hi.
05:42Hi.
05:43Thanks for having me.
05:44Look...
05:45...I want to ask you first of all...
05:46...just tell us...
05:47...look...
05:48...what went through your head...
05:50...when you saw that footage...
05:52...of the moments before Alex Pretty.
05:55...was killed on Saturday...
05:56...and then you heard...
05:57...you know...
05:58...really not long afterwards...
05:59...don...
06:00...don...
06:00...donald trump officials...
06:01...saying...
06:02...and that he had threatened...
06:03...to massacre officers.
06:05...what was going through your head...
06:06...when you heard that?
06:07...
06:08...yeah...
06:09...I saw the video pretty...
06:10...very early morning...
06:11...on Saturday...
06:12...on Saturday...
06:13...excuse me...
06:14...and after I saw the video...
06:15...it was...
06:15...clear to me...
06:16...this is a watershed moment...
06:17...for American politics...
06:18...it was just clear...
06:19...from even that first video...
06:20...that came...
06:20...that this was an issue...
06:22...that Donald Trump...
06:23...was going to have on his hand...
06:24...and ICE would have on their hand...
06:25...and the American...
06:26...the American people...
06:27...would respond to swiftly...
06:28...and then to see...
06:29...Donald Trump...
06:30...and...
06:30...in Homeland Security...
06:31...reacts so quickly...
06:32...with commentary stating...
06:33...that this man was trying...
06:34...to massacre ICE agents...
06:35...using really charged language...
06:37...like assassinate...
06:38...and then to see...
06:39...more and more footage...
06:40...to effectively show...
06:41...that this is an individual...
06:42...who was holding a phone...
06:43...trying to protect a woman...
06:44...who was being shoved by...
06:45...an ICE agent...
06:46...and was killed in cold blood...
06:47...I knew this was a pivotal moment...
06:48...in American politics...
06:49...and we're seeing it...
06:50...where they are right now.
06:51All right, pivotal moment...
06:52...you say you talk about...
06:53...a watershed...
06:54...there are the...
06:55...so not that many Republicans...
06:57...as we were hearing...
06:58...who've spoken out...
06:59...against Donald Trump...
07:00...on this...
07:00...there are though...
07:01...a few...
07:02...who've begun to call...
07:03...for an investigation...
07:05...are you surprised...
07:06...that more Republicans...
07:07...have not spoken out yet?
07:08...not spoken out yet...
07:10...I'm a bit surprised...
07:11...and only because...
07:12...anecdotally...
07:13...I've had many conversations...
07:14...with individuals...
07:15...both in my...
07:15...immediate circle...
07:16...friends and family...
07:17...who I consider...
07:18...across the...
07:19...American political...
07:20...spectrum...
07:21...and we've discussed...
07:22...many past issues before...
07:23...and this...
07:24...is one of those moments...
07:25...where...
07:25...I've seen...
07:26...a near consensus...
07:27...on what has happened here...
07:28...and so I think...
07:29...this is a moment where...
07:30...Donald Trump...
07:31...and the Republicans...
07:32...are risking breaking...
07:33...with the American people...
07:34...and that includes...
07:35...members of their own...
07:35...party...
07:36...and they have to...
07:37...really analyze...
07:38...what's happening here...
07:39...the American people...
07:40...are frustrated...
07:40...with this...
07:41...across party lines...
07:42...I mean...
07:43...this is very apparent...
07:44...what's happening...
07:45...we've seen multiple angles...
07:45...and what happened...
07:46...to Alex Preti...
07:47...and more and more footage...
07:48...and more investigations...
07:49...only at the...
07:50...going to show...
07:51...that this is a man...
07:52...who was killed...
07:53...in cold blood...
07:54...by...
07:55...an American ISIS...
07:55...what about...
07:57...your own party...
07:58...what about...
07:59...the Democrats...
08:00...what about...
08:00...there have been a number...
08:01...of very vocal figures...
08:02...like...
08:03...like AOC...
08:04...Alexandria Ocasio...
08:05...Cortez...
08:06...who've...
08:07...been very explicit...
08:08...in calling out...
08:09...the ICE agents here...
08:10...there are though...
08:11...some people though...
08:12...on the left...
08:13...of American politics...
08:14...who say actually...
08:15...more...
08:15...quote-unquote...
08:16...mainstream...
08:17...Democrats...
08:18...have not done...
08:19...a good enough job...
08:20...but...
08:21...criticising...
08:22...this White House...
08:23...and it's growing...
08:24...authoritarianism...
08:25...particularly...
08:26...as exemplified...
08:27...by these ICE agents...
08:28...in Minnesota...
08:29...do you agree with that?
08:30Do you think...
08:30...mainstream...
08:31...democrats...
08:32...aren't pushing...
08:33...the White House...
08:34...hard enough here?
08:35...we've seen Democrats...
08:38...you know...
08:39...stand up against ICE...
08:40...pretty much...
08:40...since Donald Trump's...
08:41...first term...
08:42...and I think that...
08:43...course has grown...
08:44...increasingly...
08:45...especially into...
08:45...the second term...
08:46...I wouldn't say...
08:47...that this has only been...
08:48...sort of the left wing...
08:49...of the Democratic Party...
08:50...we've seen...
08:51...mainstream Democrats...
08:52...from state lawmakers...
08:54...up to congressional...
08:55...lawmakers...
08:56...really push back...
08:57...on the...
08:57...the tactics...
08:58...that ICE is using...
08:59...throughout the nation...
09:00...we're seeing now...
09:01...threats to ICE funding...
09:02...I mean people...
09:02...have called for...
09:03...disbandment of ICE...
09:04...pretty much...
09:05...again since...
09:06...Trump's first term...
09:07...you know...
09:07...I think there's always...
09:08...need critics and folks...
09:09...who can say...
09:10...Democrats can...
09:11...and should do more...
09:12...and it's proven...
09:13...very difficult...
09:12...when Democrats...
09:13...are not in power...
09:14...in all houses...
09:15...of the federal government...
09:16...and we're now...
09:17...testing...
09:17...what ability...
09:18...state lawmakers...
09:19...state governors...
09:20...and really just...
09:21...state law has...
09:22...against federal...
09:23...immigration tactics...
09:24...we're really...
09:25...in uncharted territory...
09:26...right now...
09:27...so I think...
09:27...it's imperative that...
09:28...democratic lawmakers...
09:29...do more at all levels...
09:30...of government...
09:31...but the reality is...
09:32...that there's no...
09:32...a playbook for this...
09:33...we have to...
09:34...you know...
09:35...continue to mount...
09:36...the pressure from...
09:37...both a...
09:37...citizen standpoint...
09:38...and certain from...
09:39...a lawmaker standpoint...
09:40...but right now...
09:41...we are all...
09:42...just...
09:42...trying to figure this out...
09:43...in real time...
09:44...and how we can push back...
09:45...against these tactics...
09:46...that in my eyes...
09:47...are just completely...
09:48...un-American...
09:49...about New York...
09:50...the...
09:51...the city that...
09:52...you used to work...
09:53...as an assembly...
09:54...person...
09:54...for...
09:55...because of course...
09:56...all the focus...
09:57...has been on Minnesota...
09:58...but we have seen...
09:59...ice raids...
09:59...in other parts...
10:00...of the country...
10:01...I mean...
10:02...there is obviously...
10:03...a significant...
10:04...immigrant community...
10:04...in New York...
10:05...give us a sense of...
10:06...what the atmosphere...
10:07...is like...
10:08...in your city...
10:09...there is fear...
10:10...I mean...
10:11...you know...
10:12...I used to represent...
10:13...the Southeast Bronx...
10:14...which...
10:14...is really populated...
10:15...with a large...
10:16...amount of undocumented...
10:17...immigrants...
10:18...immigrants...
10:19...that come from Ecuador...
10:19...that come from El Salvador...
10:20...Mexico...
10:21...you name it...
10:22...and you can...
10:23...you saw a noticeable shift...
10:24...when...
10:24...the ICE immigration raids...
10:25...were really heating up...
10:26...I mean...
10:27...streets are becoming...
10:28...desolate...
10:29...main thorough...
10:29...to have...
10:30...tons of street vendors...
10:31...people walking around...
10:32...at shops...
10:33...restaurants...
10:34...coffee shops...
10:34...you're seeing people...
10:35...stay home...
10:36...you're seeing...
10:37...reporting right now...
10:38...from families...
10:39...in Minnesota...
10:39...that are putting up...
10:40...sheets on their windows...
10:41...for fear of drones...
10:42...looking into their apartment...
10:44...I mean...
10:45...these are scenes...
10:46...as President Barack Obama said...
10:47...that we never thought...
10:48...we would see...
10:49...here in America...
10:49...coming from...
10:50...again...
10:51...our own American government...
10:52...on its people...
10:53...you know...
10:54...so this...
10:54...is really...
10:55...just a new day for us...
10:56...and how we experience this...
10:57...but there's a lot of fear...
10:58...and I think that fear...
10:59...extends beyond...
11:00...undocumented immigrants...
11:01...again...
11:02...when you're seeing...
11:03...two American citizens...
11:04...that were killed...
11:05...in an American city...
11:06...by an American government...
11:08...that puts...
11:09...fear into every single...
11:10...person in this country...
11:11...whether you are...
11:12...undocumented or not...
11:13...and this is why...
11:14...now you're seeing...
11:15...such a...
11:16...swift blowback...
11:17...and protest...
11:18...against what's happening...
11:19...in Minnesota...
11:20...because Americans are saying...
11:21...this should not happen...
11:22...in Minnesota...
11:23...and it should not happen...
11:24...in any city...
11:24...throughout America...
11:26...Kenny Burgos...
11:27...really good to get...
11:28...your thoughts on this today...
11:29...thank you.
11:29...for your time.
11:30Thanks for having me.
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