Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday released a new protest song sharply criticizing federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, adding his voice to a growing national debate over recent shootings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The song, titled Streets of Minneapolis, responds to the fatal shootings of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed earlier this month during encounters with federal agents in the city. Springsteen shared the track online, describing it as a rapid creative response to what he characterized as state violence visited upon Minneapolis and its immigrant communities.
The release follows days of protests and political fallout in Minnesota after the deaths of Good and Pretti, both of whom have drawn scrutiny from local leaders and civil rights advocates. Federal officials initially described the shootings as acts of self-defense, but subsequent reviews have complicated those accounts, particularly in Pretti’s case, where authorities now say he resisted arrest before being shot by two Customs and Border Protection officers.
Streets of Minneapolis is a full-band rock song featuring an anthemic chorus and a gospel-style choir arrangement. Lyrically, it recounts the two fatal encounters and challenges official narratives surrounding them, emphasizing the role of eyewitness video and public documentation. The song also directly criticizes President Donald Trump and senior administration figures, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House adviser Stephen Miller, portraying them as architects of aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.
The song’s release comes after Springsteen publicly addressed the Minneapolis situation earlier this month while performing at the Light of Day festival in New Jersey. During that appearance, he dedicated a song to Good and echoed calls from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for ICE to withdraw from the city.
Springsteen has a long history of politically charged songwriting, particularly in response to social injustice and government policy. Since Trump’s first election in 2016, he has been one of the president’s most prominent cultural critics, frequently using concerts and releases to express opposition to administration policies. Last year, he released the live EP Land of Hope & Dreams, which included pointed remarks made during a performance in England, criticizing the Trump administration.
Source: NPR
This is a searing, brilliant song. All should listen.