MUSKEGON, MI – About 100 people gathered Thursday in downtown Muskegon for a vigil honoring lives lost at the hands of U.S. border agents.
The vigil honored Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
It also honored Keith Porter Jr., who was killed by an off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Jan. 4, and Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
The incidents and escalating tensions with federal immigration authorities under President Donald Trump have inspired protests and other demonstrations in recent weeks across the country.
Scenes from a vigil for Alex Pretti, a Minnesota man who was killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, and others killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or who have died in detention centers. The vigil was held Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in downtown Muskegon. Organizers and attendees called for unity, consistent action, accountability and urged people to continue protesting.Kayla Tucker
Organizers read a list of several more individuals who have been killed by ICE agents or died in detention centers this month.
For sisters Victoria and Sandy Guzman, the immigration crackdown under Trump is deeply personal.
“We’re Mexican American. … Our community was the first to be attacked and targeted by this fascist regime,” Victoria, 26, said. “We’re here for our dad. We carry pictures of his documents, just in case he is ever picked up. We don’t let him go anywhere by himself.”
Sandy Guzman, 19, said it all feels “dehumanizing.”
“I hate being scared,” she said. “I hate seeing my family members being scared and I just wish people would understand why we feel this way.”
Scenes from a vigil for Alex Pretti, a Minnesota man who was killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, and others killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or who have died in detention centers. The vigil was held Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in downtown Muskegon. Organizers and attendees called for unity, consistent action, accountability and urged people to continue protesting.Kayla Tucker
Community members gathered in freezing temperatures at the Olthoff Street Stage at the corner of Third Street and West Western Avenue downtown.
Candles, flowers and signs were placed around framed photos of Pretti, Porter and Good.
Organizers and attendees called for unity, consistent action, accountability and urged people to continue protesting.
The event began with a moment of silence, followed by several sing-along songs and a poem reading by a local high school student.
Organizer Tatum Smillie first read a statement publicized by Pretti’s family, then gave her own remarks, warning that people have been “trained to side with the authority.”
“We saw this in the case of Renee Good and George Floyd, as well, both clear cases of murder due to excessive use of force,” Smillie said. “Yet millions of people claimed it was deserved because the victims didn’t behave flawlessly in the face of terror.”
Scenes from a vigil for Alex Pretti, a Minnesota man who was killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, and others killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or who have died in detention centers. The vigil was held Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in downtown Muskegon. Organizers and attendees called for unity, consistent action, accountability and urged people to continue protesting.Kayla Tucker
Maggie Doyle, also a local community organizer, admitted she and others made a mistake in not honoring all lives lost, such as Porter, until now.
“Keith should have been honored sooner,” she said. “He should be publicly mourned. And I’m sorry that we did not do that when it happened. This is not a statement made of guilt or fear or demand, someone demanding the right words, but acknowledging harm. Because acknowledging harm is part of doing better.”
The Muskegon community held a vigil for Renee Good on Jan. 8.
Doyle challenged the crowd to stand together in grief and continue to protest even when it feels too hard.
“This is a call to raise our commitment and a call to carry this weight together,” Doyle said. “To stay when it would be so much easier to disappear.”
Scenes from a vigil for Alex Pretti, a Minnesota man who was killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, and others killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or who have died in detention centers. The vigil was held Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in downtown Muskegon. Organizers and attendees called for unity, consistent action, accountability and urged people to continue protesting.Kayla Tucker
Muskegon resident Hannah Morey said she was in attendance Thursday night because she felt it was her civic duty and that it’s important to stand together in hard times.
“We have each other and we’re stronger together,” Morey, 23, said. “I think that a lot of the interactions that have been happening are just wrong and completely un-American.”
The display of candles, flowers and photos was left at the site. Smillie invited people to visit and pay respects for the next week while it is still up.
The event was hosted by the Progressive Democratic Women’s Caucus PAC of Muskegon County and Indy Next Gen.
The shootings of Good and Pretti have not been fully investigated yet.
Trump has sent Tom Homan, a senior ICE official whom he calls the “Border Czar,” to Minnesota to lead the immigration efforts. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some federal immigration agents were scheduled to leave.
The Muskegon City Commission reaffirmed the city’s stance on not arresting individuals based on immigration status during its Jan. 27 meeting.
One year ago, as ICE efforts were increasing across the U.S., including West Michigan, the Muskegon Police Department responded to local concerns and said its officers are not arresting or detaining anyone based on immigration status.
“We’ve had no contact with federal agencies regarding immigration enforcement in the city of Muskegon,” said Mayor Ken Johnson, during Tuesday’s commission meeting. “Muskegon Police Department will not arrest or detain anyone based on their immigration status. We do not ask that as part of stops. We do not enforce that independently.
“Muskegon Police Department does not check immigration status during any interaction with the public. If immigration-related documents are shared with the Muskegon Police Department, they will not be shared with other agencies or entities.”