Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning ICE Cold in America: The Execution of Alex Pretti
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Jan 27, 2026 They unpack ICE’s rapid militarization and politicized recruitment under Trump. They draw parallels between US tactics and historical paramilitary repression. The hosts examine video evidence and conflicting official accounts of two killings. They outline how private prisons and corporate profit fuel enforcement and warn about propaganda, escalation and threats to democratic norms.
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ICE Expansion Enables Political Paramilitary Power
- Joe Brolly warns ICE's rapid expansion and lowered recruitment standards have created a dangerous, politicized force.
- He links this growth to promises of immunity and a broader plan to prepare an apparatus for authoritarian use.
Provoking Violence To Justify Repression
- Joe Brolly describes a deliberate tactic: provoke violence to justify repression and secure loyalty from armed supporters.
- He argues this enticement-response cycle mirrors historical playbooks used to consolidate authoritarian control.
Alex Pretti Killed After Being Disarmed
- Joe Brolly recounts Alex Pretti intervening to protect a woman and being shot after agents disarmed him.
- He stresses the video shows Pretti was immobilized and then executed on the ground.
