A call to action has emerged from over 300 former Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys, urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to adhere to long-standing protocols and permit state and local authorities in Minnesota to investigate the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. These ex-DOJ prosecutors and civil rights lawyers argue that obstructing local probes would not only deviate starkly from established DOJ practices but also undermine the rule of law.

On January 7, Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother and activist, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent while attempting to drive away from law enforcement officers. This incident occurred amidst the presence of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, part of “Operation Metro Surge,” initiated by the Trump administration.

Tragically, less than three weeks later on January 24, Alex Pretti, a nurse working in an intensive care unit and an activist, was also killed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents. Federal officials quickly labeled Pretti as someone who “violently resisted” law enforcement, casting a shadow over the circumstances of his death.

Following Good’s killing, the DOJ announced that it saw “no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation,” and federal officials such as Vice President JD Vance were quick to denigrate her and state that the officer who killed her had “absolute immunity.”

In a letter addressed to Attorney General Bondi, the former DOJ attorneys highlight the readiness of Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty to conduct thorough investigations into these incidents. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has also sought assistance from the BCA. However, the ex-DOJ lawyers point to reports that federal authorities have impeded local efforts by ordering BCA personnel to vacate the scene of Pretti’s death.

The letter stresses that, based on their extensive collective experience, the DOJ lacks both legal authority and precedent to block the BCA from coordinating its investigations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. Allowing local officials to proceed with their inquiries is a plea echoed by those who understand the importance of maintaining an open and just legal process.

“As the 303 below signatories can attest from more than 60 years of collective experience, the DOJ has authority neither in the law nor in generally accepted law enforcement investigatory practices of officer-involved shootings to prevent BCA from conducting its own investigation in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division,” the letter reads.

“Under well-established principles of dual sovereignty, both federal and state authorities may investigate and prosecute the same incident under their respective laws,” the ex-DOJ attorneys add.

The letter continues, stating it is “highly unusual” for federal authorities to shut out a state investigative agency from investigating a possible crime in its own jurisdiction. The ex-DOJ lawyers warn that preventing the state and county officials from investigating “would undermine cooperative law enforcement frameworks that exist to deliver accuracy, accountability, and public confidence in the rule of law and its impartial application.”

Furthermore, they say, if the Trump administration ultimately finds that the officers’ actions were “lawful and justified,” they should have no fear that the state and local investigators would not reach the same conclusion.

The letter proceeds to take a bird’s-eye view of the state of the U.S. and the national disconcertment with the fatal shootings.

No matter which party sits in the White House, DOJ plays a crucial role in ensuring that the American people can trust the justice system to preserve our foundational values of life and liberty. The well-being of the country seems to now sit on a knife’s edge, with President Trump acknowledging that de-escalation is necessary to avoid further loss of life, property, and trust in our institutions. For this to happen, DOJ should allow a transparent, unbiased, and impartial investigation into both shootings, including by sharing evidence with BCA and refraining from preventing BCA or local prosecutors from conducting independent investigations.

While the Trump administration has scaled back its immigration enforcement campaign in Minnesota, citizens, officials, and lawmakers have called for ICE to be abolished altogether. They argue the agency has no accountability and is exhibiting the same kind of lawlessness it is purportedly designed to prevent.

The letter, which was signed by attorneys who served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, was also sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.