Durham VA Nurses Hold Vigil for Slain Colleague

Hundreds gather to honor Alex Pretti, a VA nurse killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis

Jan. 28, 2026 at 10:47pm

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Hundreds of nurses from the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center gathered for a vigil to honor their colleague, VA nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis. The nurses expressed outrage over Pretti's death and the escalating actions of ICE, saying they felt compelled to speak out and support their community beyond just their hospital duties.

Why it matters

The death of Alex Pretti, a VA nurse who was killed by ICE agents, has sparked moral outrage among healthcare workers who feel their role is to help people regardless of immigration status. The vigil highlights growing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and the mission of public service providers like VA hospitals.

The details

Hundreds of nurses gathered outside the Durham VA Medical Center to honor their colleague Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Nurses described the incident as "bringing tears" and expressed a deep sense of purpose in serving all members of the community, regardless of immigration status. They said they felt compelled to go beyond their hospital duties to support vulnerable community members when ICE was active in the local area.

  • The vigil was held on January 29, 2026 outside the Durham VA Medical Center.

The players

Alex Pretti

A VA nurse who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.

Anne Phillips

A nurse at the Durham VA Medical Center who spoke at the vigil.

Dr. Kathard

A physician at the Durham VA Medical Center who spoke at the vigil.

Summer Lillie

A nurse at the Durham VA Medical Center who spoke at the vigil.

Liam Norris

The son of a Durham VA nurse who spoke at the vigil.

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What they’re saying

“It almost brought tears to my eyes seeing his lifeless body lying on the streets of Minneapolis.”

— Anne Phillips, Nurse

“Everybody that comes into this field comes into with the attitude of we are here to help people, it doesn't matter who you are, we are here to help you.”

— Dr. Kathard, VA Physician

“I think if you see ICE agents come into hospitals or violating human rights of our fellow Americans, of our community members, so I think it's more of a crime to stay silent, so I think he was well within his rights as a nurse as a fellow American.”

— Summer Lillie, Nurse

“When ICE was here in our local community, we were out in the streets, we worked together to get kids to school safely, to feed families who were too afraid to come out of their house, it's what you do as a community, not just as a nurse but as a community.”

— Anne Phillips, Nurse

“We are people, and we need to be treated as people. No one should be getting killed for trying to help someone. So Durham is a place of love. Everyone here is loved by someone in us, so we just need to be doing better about this.”

— Liam Norris, Son of Durham VA Nurse

The takeaway

The vigil for Alex Pretti highlights the moral crisis facing healthcare workers as federal immigration enforcement increasingly encroaches on their mission to help all people, regardless of immigration status. Nurses expressed a duty to support vulnerable community members beyond just their hospital duties, underscoring the broader societal impact of such tragedies.