Minnesota has launched a fresh legal challenge to the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, stepping up the state's clash with the Trump administration over access to evidence in the deaths of two Americans.
The new lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Washington, is the state's second attempt to get information about the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by federal immigration officers.
State officials say the administration refused to work with Minnesota on a joint investigation.
An earlier effort ran into trouble in February when a federal judge declined to block the federal government from moving forward on its own.
In the new filing, obtained by The Hill, Minnesota argues it is being shut out of doing its job.
"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," the state wrote in its latest suit. "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."
"Instead of sharing information, federal authorities took exclusive possession of evidence that had been collected, and they denied Minnesota investigators access to key information," it added.
A federal judge in Minnesota had briefly ordered the government in January not to destroy any evidence tied to the cases, but that order was lifted in early February after the judge said it likely wasn't necessary.
Minnesota has dropped that case and shifted its fight to a court in Washington.
The state's new lawsuit alleges the Trump administration overstepped its authority, violated Minnesota's rights, and "unlawfully withheld and unreasonably delayed agency action," in a situation where state investigators would normally handle the case.
Meanwhile, Trump administration officials have backed the officers involved in the shootings. They also made harsh comments about Good and Pretti, accusing them of trying to carry out domestic terrorism during their encounters with immigration authorities.
Those remarks — including from former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — sparked backlash, as officials typically avoid commenting while investigations are still underway.
The statements have raised concerns among Minnesota leaders about whether a federal investigation can be fair without state involvement.
The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti's death, bringing in a team that looks into possible excessive force. But no such investigation of Good's death has been announced.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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