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Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday released a new protest song, "Streets of Minneapolis," dedicated to the memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two Minneapolis residents who were killed during what the singer described as the city’s "state of terror" created by aggressive federal immigration raids. Springsteen said he wrote the song on Saturday, the same day Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot dead by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Good, also 37, was shot dead by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
The song and its message
In a social media post accompanying the release, Springsteen wrote: "It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good." The 76-year-old artist sings in the track about the immigration crackdown that has unfolded in Minneapolis and praises local residents who have followed federal agents to record their operations and confront officers.
The lyrics applaud Minnesotans who resist with what the song calls "smoke and rubber bullets" and who use "whistles and phones" to push back against, as the song puts it, "Miller and Noem’s dirty lies." The chorus features a group vocal that chants "ICE out now!" and the song closes with the refrain "we’ll remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis," accompanied by the sounds of protesters chanting.
Claims and counterclaims
After Pretti’s shooting, Kristi Noem said Pretti had brandished a gun and Stephen Miller called him an "assassin" who tried to murder federal agents. The article notes that bystander videos disproved both of those claims.
White House response
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson issued a statement that criticized the song, saying the administration was "focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities - not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information."
Springsteen’s record of protest songs
Springsteen, known to fans as "The Boss," has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump during both terms. The singer has previously written songs addressing the mistreatment of veterans and the working class. The article recalls his 2001 track "American Skin (41 Shots)," which attacked police brutality and racism and was inspired by the killing of immigrant Amadou Diallo by New York police. His new song returns to a theme of public protest and remembrance.
Closing
"Streets of Minneapolis" adds to a catalogue of Springsteen work that engages directly with political and social controversies. The new track centers the deaths of Pretti and Good, acknowledges local tactics of resistance, and explicitly voices opposition to federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis.