Paying homage to the people of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bruce Springsteen releases an anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) song in response to the agents who’ve undertaken raids in cities across America as part of President Donald Trump’s pledge to crack down on illegal immigration.
Following last weekend’s fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents, the superstar singer/songwriter penned the new protest track, ‘Streets of Minneapolis.’
About the composition, the Boss said “I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis.” “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renée Good. Stay free, Bruce Springsteen.”
A vocal opponent of Trump, Springsteen’s lyrics questions ICE’s mission to “enforce the law” and “King Trump’s private army from the DHS (Department of Homeland Security).” with the lyrics that include “Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist / We’ll take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst.” “Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of ’26 / We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis.”
Referencing the lyrics from The Star-Spangled Banner, Bruce sings “Against smoke and rubber bullets / In the dawn’s early light / Citizens stood for justice / Their voices ringing through the night.”
The single cover art is a black-and-white photo of protesters and signs that read “ICE OUT.”
The second American citizen murdered by the ICE operation in Minnesota, on January 7, Renée Good was shot by an agent while in her car, as Trump and law enforcement officials defended the shooting, alleging the officer acted in self-defense.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz have called on the American leader to end ICE’s presence in the city.
No stranger to addressing social issues in his music, the multi-Grammy award winner has explored themes of patriotism and disillusionment in his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. and recording the single, ‘Streets of Philadelphia,’ for the soundtrack of the 1993 feature, Philadelphia, starring Tom Hanks, drew attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Donald Trump has not yet commented on the release of Streets of Minneapolis.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Takahiro Kyono