Multiple Prosecutors Resign Amid Controversy Over Minneapolis ICE Shooting Investigation
Unrest continues to grip the justice system in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. Several prosecutors and leaders in the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division have resigned amid controversy over the handling of the investigation, according to multiple sources.
Background and Context
Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The Justice Department's decision not to initiate a civil rights investigation into the incident has sparked widespread controversy and led to a series of resignations. Joseph H. Thompson, a career federal prosecutor who was the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota last year, was among those who stepped down. The New York Times reported that Thompson quit after the Justice Department sought to investigate Good's widow's supposed ties to activist groups.
Resignations and Controversy
In total, around half a dozen federal prosecutors in Minnesota and at least four leaders of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division's criminal investigations section have resigned, according to the South China Morning Post and The Guardian. Fox News also confirmed the departure of Thompson, who led a major fraud case in Minnesota. These sudden departures echo a pattern in other liberal-leaning districts where the Department of Justice has surged immigration enforcement resources, as reported by the Japan Times.
Reactions and Implications
The series of resignations has provoked a range of reactions. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz lamented Thompson's departure, calling it a huge loss for our state
, despite previous disagreements with him. On the other hand, Fox News host Will Cain questioned whether the terming of the ICE agent involved in the fatal shooting as a murderer
could cross a legal line in the absence of any arrest, indictment, or conviction.
This incident has also stirred up concerns about the impartiality of the FBI investigation. State and local officials have expressed doubts about the objectivity of the probe, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called for state investigators to be involved in the investigation. His plea came after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension withdrew from the investigation, citing lack of access to materials required for a thorough and independent review.
Current Status
The Department of Justice maintains that there is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation into the case. Meanwhile, the FBI is pressing on with its inquiry, despite the DOJ attorneys' resignations and the outcry from state and local officials. The situation remains volatile, with the shooting and the ensuing investigation sparking both local and national debates about immigration enforcement and civil rights.