Former Democratic U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, on the 25th (local time) criticized the Donald Trump administration for its hardline immigration policies.

Obama, a Democrat, said in a statement that day, “The killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretty is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also serve as a wake-up call to all Americans, regardless of party, that as a nation our core values are increasingly under attack,” the AP reported that day.

He argued that agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal personnel were deploying, without restraint, tactics that appear designed “to threaten, harass, provoke, and endanger residents of major U.S. cities,” and that the anger of Americans over this is justified.

He continued, “All Americans should support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere,” adding, “Ultimately, it falls to us as citizens to speak out against injustice, safeguard fundamental freedoms, and hold our government accountable.”

In Minneapolis, after the death of American woman Good on the 7th, American citizen and white man Pretty died on the 24th from gunfire by immigration authorities. The administration claimed they had threatened the lives of immigration enforcement officers. It also labeled Good a ‘left-wing terrorist’ who incited violence aimed at immigration authorities.

However, videos of the two incidents have revealed circumstances that differ markedly from the account given by the administration, prompting criticism from various sectors that the response by immigration authorities was inappropriate. Protests opposing hardline immigration policies are continuing in major U.S. cities, including Minneapolis.

Obama pointed out that the explanation from the administration regarding how Pretty and Good were killed was not based on a proper investigation and conflicted with footage recorded at the time. He also argued that President Trump and administration officials seemed to want the situation to escalate rather than enforce discipline among agents and determine accountability. Obama said he hoped the administration would review its approach so far and work with the state of Minnesota and with local governments in Minneapolis.

Former President Bill Clinton said American democracy had reached an inflection point, stating, “If we give up freedom after 250 years, we may never get it back.” He said, “Moments when the decisions we make and the actions we take shape our history for years to come occur only a few times in a single lifetime,” adding, “This is one of those moments.”

Clinton urged that “all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy must stand up, speak out, and show that our country still belongs to ‘we, the American people’.” He criticized the Trump administration for “unacceptable” conduct and for lying to the public.

Clinton added, “People in positions of responsibility are lying to us, telling us not to believe what we have seen with our own eyes, and pressing ahead with increasingly hostile tactics.”