01/26/2026
We stand with ANA-Ohio in mourning the loss of RN Alex Pretti and in reaffirming the Code of Ethics for Nurses, which calls us to uphold human dignity, justice, and the right to live free from violence.
📣 Important Advocacy Alert from ANA-Ohio
This week, ANA-Ohio is reaching out to Ohio’s U.S. Senators, urging them to vote to pause funding until meaningful oversight is in place — and we’re asking nurses and community members to do the same.
Below is the full letter we are sharing with Ohio’s Senators:
This letter is written with a heavy heart. Today, our nursing community is grieving. We have lost a fellow registered nurse in an act of violence connected to immigration enforcement. This event, and similar recent ones, are incredibly disturbing and are likely to lead to more harm and deaths.
American Nurses Association – Ohio cannot be silent in the moment we are witnessing. The shooting death of nurse Alex Pretti is personal. Regardless of where each of us stands on the issues associated with immigration enforcement in cities, the loss of a nurse, a colleague, a human being, cuts us deeply. As nurses, we are troubled by violence and shootings, and they must stop.
We also firmly uphold the fundamental rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. We unequivocally support the First Amendment rights of every individual to speak out, to peacefully assemble, and to advocate for change without fear of violence or death.
As the professional nurses association in Ohio, an American Nurses Association affiliate, we are speaking for all nurses, asking for immediate action to stop further violence and deaths. As a legislator representing Ohio citizens, we request that you join your colleagues in voting to protect the rights of individuals to express their views peacefully, safeguard the civil liberties of all Americans, and restrict and re-evaluate the unjustified intrusions of ICE agents in American lives. The violence and shootings must stop. Today it is Minnesota, and Ohio will be next.
Rebecca M. Patton, DNP, RN, CNOR, FAAN
President, ANA-Ohio and the ANA-Ohio Board of Directors
American Nurses Association Affiliate
This letter comes as the nation mourns the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse working at the VA in Minneapolis who was shot and killed by federal immigration enforcement agents on January 24, 2026 during an operation that has sparked widespread protests and calls for accountability and oversight. Pretti was described by family and colleagues as compassionate, dedicated to patient care, and advocating peacefully at the time of the incident.
📞 Take Action: Contact Ohio’s U.S. Senators Today
Ask them to support the pause in funding until strong, meaningful oversight is established.
Sen. Jon Husted (R)
📞 Washington, DC: 202-224-3353
📞 Columbus: 614-369-4925
🌐 www.husted.senate.gov
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R)
📞 Washington, DC: 202-224-2315
📞 Columbus: 614-469-2083
🌐 www.moreno.senate.gov
🩺 Nurses — Your Voice Matters
As healthcare professionals committed to safety, ethics, and human dignity, your call, message, or email can make a difference. Please consider contacting the Senators above and sharing this post with your network.
Link to ANA-Ohio's letter: https://bit.ly/49Fn5Cb
