The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the local Minneapolis county attorney’s office have found themselves in an unexpected legal battle, having to take the federal government to court for access to evidence linked to the recent fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. This unusual step has become necessary in the political climate shaped by President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Much like the earlier incident involving the ICE shooting of Renee Good, Pretti’s death was captured by numerous cameras, offering multiple perspectives of the event. Despite this widespread visual documentation, Noem and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino continue to publicly misrepresent the facts of both cases.

What is crucial now are independent investigations that can objectively assess the facts and, if warranted, hold the involved agents accountable, potentially through criminal charges. However, there are significant concerns about the impartiality of these investigations if they remain under federal control.

In a recent phone call, President Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reportedly had a productive discussion, which seemed to ease tensions in the state. This is notable given the previously strained relationship, with Trump frequently criticizing Walz.

Governor Walz may have reminded the president of his commitment to deport violent offenders who are in the country illegally. Yet, the past year has shown a different reality, with ICE frequently targeting individuals based on appearance, language, or proximity. Moreover, legitimate protests against the administration’s heavy-handed tactics are increasingly being met with detention or force.

The Trump administration, along with Secretary Noem, has shown a clear disregard for accountability, as evidenced by their handling of the Minneapolis shootings. The federal response has consistently been to defend the actions of their agents, showing an unwillingness to consider any potential misconduct.

In every normal police force in the country, the standard operating procedure when an officer kills someone is to put them on administrative leave at least until a preliminary investigation can be conducted, even when officers initially believe a killing was justified.

Not only are the federal agents involved in these shootings back on the street but federal investigators looking into the killing of Good were instructed instead to probe the victim and her widow, not the agent who fired the shots. In the killing of Pretti, the authorities are now promising an internal probe that no one can possibly trust after DHS has spent months flagrantly violating the law and people’s civil and constitutional rights.

We’ve reached the point where every federal judge in the state has been inundated with cases resulting from plainly unlawful, even sadistic, behavior by federal agents. Judges appointed by presidents ranging back to Ronald Reagan have been uniformly shocked by the facts of these cases. One such judge, Katherine Menendez, is now tasked with hearing a case brought by Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul against the federal occupation of the city. We understand that there are a number of complex legal questions at issue, but there are some simpler, higher-level ones, namely: are we going to remain a democracy with rule of law?