Moriarty threatens suit over federal 'obstruction' as Pretti, Good charging decisions near
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has sent formal Touhy letters to DOJ and DHS demanding the full evidentiary record in the ICE killing of Renee Good (including weapons and casings, all video and photos, medical and autopsy records, policies/training materials, and identities/statements of federal officers), set a mid‑February deadline for Good and a March 3 deadline for Pretti, and says federal agencies are already “obstructing” the investigations and she is prepared to sue if requests are ignored. Moriarty says she expects to have enough non‑federal evidence to make charging decisions in both the Good and Alex Pretti shootings despite Supremacy Clause hurdles, has launched a public “Transparency and Accountability Project” portal to solicit evidence, and notes that practical limits make state trials of federal officers unlikely so federal prosecutors would likely have to bring charges. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was criticized over limited MPD intervention during Operation Metro Surge, and MPD has referred two possible misdemeanor assault cases involving federal agents to an Inspector General’s Office but has received no response.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office sent formal Touhy letters to DOJ and DHS demanding the full evidentiary record in the ICE killing of Renee Good, including weapons and casings, all video and photos, medical and autopsy records, internal policies and training materials, and the identities and statements of every federal officer involved.
- The county set a mid‑February deadline for federal turnover to complete its criminal review after DOJ indicated it would not pursue a criminal case; Moriarty separately set a March 3 deadline for Touhy materials in the Alex Pretti case and will treat non‑compliance as further obstruction.
- Moriarty says federal agencies are already 'obstructing' her office’s investigations into the Renee Good and Alex Pretti shootings and is prepared to file lawsuits as soon as this week if Touhy demands are ignored.
- County officials warn that without federal cooperation, state prosecution of ICE officer Jonathan Ross would face huge Supremacy Clause legal hurdles — in practice making state trials unlikely and leaving federal prosecutors as the most realistic source of criminal charges.
- Despite federal resistance and the Supremacy Clause hurdle, Moriarty publicly reiterated she expects to have enough non‑federal evidence to make charging decisions in both the Good and Pretti shootings.
- Moriarty launched a 'Transparency and Accountability Project' portal to collect public evidence on 17 incidents involving potentially unlawful actions by federal agents, including actions by Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino.
- Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was sharply criticized over MPD’s lack of visible intervention during Operation Metro Surge; he said the department was 'constantly trying to adjust,' acknowledged the response 'wasn’t perfect,' and noted local officers are limited because federal agents operate under different laws.
- O’Hara said MPD is investigating two possible misdemeanor assault cases involving federal agents from the crackdown, has referred them to an Inspector General’s Office, and has not yet received a response.
đź“Š Relevant Data
The foreign-born population in Hennepin County, Minnesota, was 13.6% according to 2020-2024 data, with approximately 174,100 immigrants residing there, representing 14% of the total population.
Hennepin County, Minnesota - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts — U.S. Census Bureau
Minnesota's foreign-born population reached nearly 490,000 residents in 2023, comprising 8.6% of the state's population, showing an increase over the past decade.
The Growth and Impact of Minnesota's Foreign-Born Workforce — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Immigrants, on average, appear to pose lower criminal risks than native-born populations, and periods of growing immigration have coincided with falling crime rates.
A Closer Look at Immigrant Crime Statistics — ETC Journal
During Operation Metro Surge in January 2026, Minneapolis experienced at least $203.1 million in economic damage, including lost wages, housing, food, and healthcare needs.
Operation Metro Surge results in 203 million impact — City of Minneapolis
In 2026, just 37% of ICE arrests during the first 10 months of the Trump administration involved individuals with criminal convictions, down from 52% in 2024.
As ICE arrests reach record highs, percent with criminal record plummets — University of Colorado Boulder
Violent crime in Minneapolis declined since peaking in 2021-2022, with year-to-date figures showing drops in burglaries, robberies, assaults, and motor vehicle thefts during the federal immigration enforcement surge in early 2026.
Trump credits immigration enforcement for Minneapolis crime drop — PolitiFact
đź“° Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara appeared before the Community Commission on Police Oversight and was sharply criticized by about three dozen residents and activists over MPD’s lack of visible intervention during Operation Metro Surge.
- O’Hara publicly stated that MPD was in a 'constant state of trying to adjust' during the surge and said the department’s response 'wasn’t perfect,' arguing that local officers are limited because federal agents operate under different laws.
- O’Hara revealed that MPD is investigating two possible misdemeanor assault cases involving federal agents during the crackdown and has referred them to an Inspector General’s Office, but has not yet received any response.
- Moriarty says federal agencies are already 'obstructing' her office’s investigation into the Renee Good and Alex Pretti shootings and is prepared to file new lawsuits as soon as Tuesday if Touhy demands are ignored.
- Her office set a March 3 response deadline on its Touhy request for Pretti-case evidence and will treat non‑compliance as further obstruction.
- Moriarty publicly reiterated she expects to have enough non‑federal evidence to make charging decisions in both Good and Pretti shootings despite federal resistance and the Supremacy Clause hurdle.
- She formally launched a "Transparency and Accountability Project" portal to collect public evidence on 17 separate incidents involving potentially unlawful actions by federal agents, including actions by Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino.
- The article underlines that, in practice, Supremacy Clause protections make it unlikely federal officers will ever face a state trial, so any criminal case would almost certainly have to come from federal prosecutors.
- The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has now sent formal Touhy letters to both DOJ and DHS demanding the full evidentiary record in the ICE killing of Renee Good, including weapons and casings, all video and photos, medical and autopsy records, internal policies and training materials, and the identities and statements of every federal officer involved.
- The office set a specific deadline (mid‑February) for the federal government to turn over materials, framing it as necessary to complete its criminal review because DOJ has signaled it is not pursuing its own criminal case.
- The article underscores that without federal cooperation, any state prosecution of ICE officer Jonathan Ross would face huge legal hurdles under supremacy‑clause protections — making this document demand a key test of whether local authorities will be allowed to fully investigate.