Minnesota sues DOJ, DHS for evidence in Pretti and Good shootings

The state of Minnesota again sued the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, demanding access to evidence about the killing of two protesters. The suit, the second from the state seeking evidence, comes after the Trump administration refused to conduct a joint investigation with Minnesota into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers. In February, a federal judge in Minnesota refused to issue a restraining order in the case, rebuffing the state’s request. On Tuesday, the state turned to a court in Washington, D. C. “The State of Minnesota has the authority and responsibility to protect against and address violence within its borders, including by prosecuting homicides, attempted homicides, and assaults. That responsibility rests primarily with Minnesota’s law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities—in this case, Plaintiffs—who must gather the evidence, evaluate the facts, and decide whether Minnesota criminal law was violated,” the state wrote in its latest suit. “Instead of sharing information, federal authorities took exclusive possession of evidence that had been collected, and they denied Minnesota investigators access to key information.” Minnesota-based U. S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud in January initially placed a temporary restraining order on the federal government to prohibit agencies from destroying any evidence related to either investigation. But the judge allowed that order to dissolve in early February, concluding the government was unlikely to take such actions. Minnesota on Tuesday moved to dismiss that case, filing its new suit in Washington, D. C. The latest suit argues the Trump administration violated the 10th Amendment, infringed on Minnesota sovereignty and “unlawfully withheld and unreasonably delayed agency action,” as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension would typically launch their own investigation into the killings. Trump administration officials were quick to side with the officers who killed Good and Pretti, also making disparaging remarks about the two Minnesotans and accusing them of attempting to carry out domestic terrorism in their interactions with immigration authorities. Those remarks, including by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, sparked outrage, particularly as officials typically do not comment while an investigation is ongoing. The comments fueled concern about the fairness of a federal investigation, especially one that broke with the tradition of also working with state authorities. After Pretti’s killing, the Justice Department did launch a civil rights probe into his death, tapping the team that evaluates excessive force by officers, but it has still failed to do so in Good’s case. Updated at 2:41 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.