Fascism in the US, as the Trump Administration Defends Death Squad Executions of US Citizens

Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, both photographed moments before they were executed on the streets of Minneapolis by immigration enforcement agents.

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In the space of 17 days, US immigration enforcement agents — members of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the Border Patrol — executed two US citizens, in broad daylight, on the streets of Minneapolis, who posed no threat to them.

We know that Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year old mother, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year old ICU nurse with the US Department of Veterans Affairs, were executed, and posed no threat to the agents, because of multiple videos recorded on smartphones at both locations.

Renee Nicole Good, who had just driven her six-year old son to school, was smiling at, and speaking to Jonathan Ross, the agent who executed her, as she began maneuvering her car past him, less than 30 seconds before he shot her, once through her windshield, and twice through the side window, and then called her a “f*cking bitch.”

Alex Pretti, who was monitoring immigration enforcement agents’ actions, as was his right, was filming on his phone, and trying to protect a woman from assault, when he was pepper-sprayed and set upon by officials who, after finding that he was legally carrying a concealed weapon, removed it from him and then, as he was kneeling on the ground, executed him with gunshots to the back of his head. In the space of 30 seconds, he was shot ten times.

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Photos and Report: August’s Monthly Global Vigils for Guantánamo’s Closure Mark What Is Now A Doubly Forgotten Prison

Photos from the monthly global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo on August 6, 2025. Clockwise from top left: Washington, D.C., San Francisco, London and Mexico City.

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Last Wednesday (August 6), our small but dedicated global family of campaigners came together for the 31st successive month at our “First Wednesday” monthly global vigils for the closure of the “war on terror” prison at Guantánamo Bay.

Nine vigils took place — five in the US, in Washington, D.C., New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Detroit, with others in London, Brussels, Mexico City and Belgrade, where the former prisoner Mansoor Adayfi held a solo vigil. Campaigners in Cobleskill, NY joined us on the Saturday (August 9).

My thanks as always to the dedication of everyone involved, from organizations including numerous Amnesty International groups, Close Guantánamo, the UK Guantánamo Network, Witness Against Torture, the World Can’t Wait, the Peacemakers of Schoharie County, and various activist groups in New York City, with support from numerous other organizations.

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As Trump Holds 72 Migrants at Guantánamo From 26 Countries Including the UK, What Is His Long-Term Plan?

A composite image showing some of the first ten Venezuelan migrants who were sent to Guantánamo on February 4, in photos that were made publicly available by the Department of Homeland Security.

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In a shocking development reported two days ago by CBS News, the Department of Homeland Security has revealed that it is currently holding 72 migrants at Guantánamo from 26 countries.

At least one of these migrants is a UK national, while the other countries whose nationals are held are Brazil, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Romania, Russia, Somalia, St. Kitts-Nevis, Venezuela and Vietnam.

A month ago, shockwaves reverberated around the world when, as I discussed here, Politico reported that the Trump administration was planning to send at least 9,000 migrants to Guantánamo from a variety of countries, including 800 from Europe.

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Photos and Report: Global Vigils for Guantánamo’s Closure on July 2, 2025 and the Growing Threat of the Gitmoization of the US

Photos from the monthly global vigils for the closure of Guantánamo on July 2, 2025. Clockwise from top left: Brussels, Washington, D.C., Mexico City and London.

Please click on either of the ‘Donate’ buttons below (via PayPal or Stripe) to make a donation towards the $2,500 (£2,000) I’m trying to raise to support my work on Guantánamo and on other related topics over the next three months. To get links to all my work in your inbox, please also consider taking out a free or paid subscription to my new Substack newsletter.





 

On Wednesday July 2, the latest “First Wednesday” global vigils for the closure of the prison at Guantánamo Bay took place — four in the US, three in Europe, and one in Mexico City. An additional US vigil took place on Saturday July 5.

Please see the photos below, and read on for my analysis of the importance of the vigils, not only for the men still held, but also to highlight how, since Donald Trump came back to the White House, it has become increasingly apparent that the core injustice of Guantánamo — holding men indefinitely without charge or trial, and without providing any evidence for doing so — is being shamefully and cynically repurposed to justify detentions in the “war on migrants” that he declared when he took office in January.

The vigil outside the White House in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 2025. Helen Schietinger of Witness Against Torture wrote, “King Trump is hosting War Criminal Netenyahoo, so tall fences have been erected around the perimeter of the White House and Lafayette Square, but today we were still able to get in, to stand on Pennsylvania Avenue along with all the summer tourists. We were joined by folks here in DC for the Starvin’ for Justice Annual Fast and Vigil at the Supreme Court, including Gavrilah Wells and Ron from San Francisco (with Gavrilah being in D.C., there wasn’t a vigil in San Francisco this month), Will, and an unnamed Federal Employee. The regulars were David, Judith, Art and myself.”

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Andy Worthington

Investigative journalist, author, campaigner, commentator and public speaker. Recognized as an authority on Guantánamo and the “war on terror.” Co-founder, Close Guantánamo and We Stand With Shaker, singer/songwriter (The Four Fathers).
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