Trump administration ends Minnesota immigration operation
Border czar Tom Homan announced the end of Minnesota’s immigration operation after a deadly shooting sparked tensions and community backlash.
LOS ANGELES — The state of Minnesota sued the federal government on Tuesday, March 24, seeking evidence of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Preti by federal agents and the shooting that injured another man during a surge in immigration enforcement in the state.
The lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and Homeland Security alleges that authorities prevented state investigators from providing important evidence and information about the shooting.
In late January, in the wake of Preti’s murder, a court granted the state a temporary restraining order barring federal investigators from destroying evidence in the investigation. The restraining order was eventually lifted by a judge who granted it.
“Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief to nullify Defendants’ policy of non-cooperation and resulting refusal to comply with the investigative demands of Minnesota authorities,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit highlights a conflict between local and state officials in Minnesota and the Trump administration over the investigation into the shooting, which has intensified protests against the administration’s heavy-handed immigration crackdown in the state.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that all shootings are first reviewed by the appropriate law enforcement agency, followed by an independent review within Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection.
A spokeswoman said the shooting of Ms. Good, a Minneapolis resident and mother of three who was shot and killed by ICE agents while inside her car on Jan. 7, remains under review.
The FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting death of Preti, an intensive care unit nurse, who was shot and killed in a separate incident on January 24, a spokeswoman said. The Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation, and CBP is conducting its own internal investigation, a spokesperson said in a statement.
A joint investigation by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security into the third shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosascelis found that two officers may have made false statements, a spokesperson said. The officers are on leave pending an internal investigation and could lose their jobs, the statement said.
“ICE remains committed to transparency, accountability, and fair enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws,” the spokesperson said.
(Reporting by Christian Martinez; Editing by David Gregorio and Chris Reese)
