Minnesota Sues DOJ and DHS Over Evidence Access in Killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by Federal Immigration Officers
Minnesota prosecutors and county officials have sued the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security seeking access to evidence in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—both 37‑year‑old U.S. citizens killed by ICE and CBP officers during Operation Metro Surge—after federal agents took exclusive possession of materials and, in Pretti’s case, denied access even after the state BCA obtained a judicial warrant. The complaint challenges federal claims that disclosure would compromise sensitive techniques and internal deliberations, and the case — which comes amid public criticism of Trump‑era immigration task forces and statements by senior officials labeling Good a “domestic terrorist” and asserting broad officer immunity — is being watched by other states for its potential precedent on evidence access.
📌 Key Facts
- Minnesota prosecutors sued the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security seeking access to evidence in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — both 37-year-old U.S. citizens — who were killed by ICE and CBP officers, respectively.
- The dispute is tied to Operation Metro Surge, a Trump-era immigration crackdown; the cases have heightened scrutiny and online criticism of task-force accountability and enforcement tactics.
- Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) initially opened a joint investigation with the FBI into Good’s killing before the FBI asserted exclusive federal control; in Pretti’s case the BCA obtained a signed judicial warrant for evidence but DHS denied access and said it would lead the investigation alone.
- The complaint alleges that federal authorities “took exclusive possession of evidence that had been collected, and they denied Minnesota investigators access to key information.”
- DOJ and DHS argue that turning over certain materials could compromise sensitive law enforcement techniques and internal deliberations, using those claims to justify withholding evidence.
- The New York Times reports the Minnesota case is being closely watched by other states that participate in federal task forces because it could set a precedent for how much evidence the federal government can withhold after agent-involved shootings.
- Senior Trump administration officials publicly labeled Renee Good a “domestic terrorist,” and Vice President JD Vance asserted federal officers were “protected by absolute immunity,” a statement he later partially walked back.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge, launched in January 2026, resulted in more than 4,000 arrests of individuals by DHS and ICE in Minnesota, targeting those with criminal records including violent offenses.
DHS Reaches More than 4,000 Arrests of Illegal Aliens Including ... — Department of Homeland Security
Minnesota's foreign-born population grew to nearly 490,000 residents in 2023, comprising 8.6% of the state's total population, with immigration becoming the leading component of population growth from 2020 to 2024, adding over 81,000 new immigrants.
The Growth and Impact of Minnesota's Foreign-Born Workforce — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act significantly increased immigration from non-European countries to the United States, contributing to demographic diversification in states like Minnesota, where the foreign-born population has risen from about 2-3% in the 1960s to 8.6% in 2023.
Fifty Years On, the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act Continues to Reshape the United States — Migration Policy Institute
In 2026, there have been at least two fatal shootings and one non-fatal shooting by DHS/ICE agents in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge, contributing to a total of at least eight ICE-related deaths nationwide in early 2026, following 32 deaths in ICE custody in 2025.
6 Deaths in ICE Custody and 2 Fatal Shootings: A Horrific Start to 2026 — American Immigration Council
Historically, federal agencies like the FBI have cooperated with state investigators in probes of agent-involved shootings, but recent cases, including the Minnesota incidents, show patterns of obstruction, such as denying access to evidence and crime scenes, marking a shift from standard practices.
Why Local and State Police Rarely Investigate Federal Agents — ProPublica
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Identifies the two victims by name — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — and notes both were 37-year-old U.S. citizens killed by ICE and CBP officers, respectively.
- Details that the Minnesota BCA initially began a joint investigation with the FBI into Good’s killing before the FBI reversed course and asserted exclusive federal control.
- Reveals that for the Pretti case, the BCA obtained a signed judicial warrant to access evidence but DHS still denied access, insisting DHS would lead the investigation alone.
- Quotes the complaint’s allegation that 'federal authorities took exclusive possession of evidence that had been collected, and they denied Minnesota investigators access to key information.'
- Notes that senior Trump administration officials publicly labeled Good a 'domestic terrorist' and that Vice President JD Vance claimed federal officers were 'protected by absolute immunity,' a statement he later partially walked back.
- The New York Times piece adds national‑level framing that this clash in Minnesota is being closely watched by other states that participate in federal task forces, highlighting the potential precedent for how much evidence the federal government can withhold after agent‑involved shootings.
- It further details federal officials’ legal arguments that disclosing certain materials could compromise sensitive techniques and internal deliberations, sharpening the picture of how DOJ and DHS are justifying their refusal to turn over evidence.
- The article underscores that the case centers on Operation Metro Surge, an immigration crackdown, and situates the shootings in the broader controversy over Trump‑era immigration enforcement tactics, which has amplified public scrutiny and online criticism of task‑force accountability.