The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) is calling on Ohio’s congressional delegation to take action following the killing of a registered nurse during a federal immigration enforcement incident.

In a letter sent this week, ONA President Rick Lucas raised concerns about how federal enforcement actions impact healthcare workers, patients, and community safety. The letter references the Jan. 24, 2026 death of Alex Pretti, 37, a registered nurse and ICU caregiver who was killed in a shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis.

“What this data shows is that safety for healthcare workers is inseparable from patient safety,” Lucas wrote, adding that policies which place healthcare workers or patients in harm’s way “are incompatible with public health, community safety, and basic human dignity.”

Lucas urged Congress to conduct an independent investigation into Pretti’s death and to review enforcement strategies the association says create fear, undermine trust, and interfere with access to care.

The letter also calls for stronger oversight and safeguards to protect healthcare workers and the communities they serve.