A federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 44-year-old woman killed by an immigration agent in Minneapolis last month, has been halted due to pressure from President Trump’s administration. Despite having a warrant to collect evidence, F.B.I. agents were ordered to stop investigating the incident.
The investigation was supposed to be a standard civil rights probe into the agent’s use of force, but officials in Washington told prosecutors to drop it. The decision was made by senior officials including Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director.
As a result, several career federal prosecutors in Minnesota have left their positions in protest. They claim that pursuing a civil rights investigation would contradict President Trump’s claim that Good “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over” the agent who shot her.
The crisis at the U.S. attorney’s office follows a turbulent year marked by controversy surrounding fraud investigations into social services programs. Top prosecutors departed after Attorney General Pam Bondi signaled that the Department of Justice would “zealously advance” Mr. Trump’s policies.
The departures have left the office severely understaffed, with officials struggling to cope with a surge in new cases related to the immigration crackdown. The U.S. attorney’s office now faces complex cases, including trials and investigations into terrorism and fentanyl trafficking.
Critics argue that the hasty conclusions about Good’s death shocked federal prosecutors in Minnesota, who had expected a civil rights investigation. Some expressed concerns that pursuing such an investigation could establish that the agent had a reasonable fear for his life when he opened fire.
With roughly a dozen prosecutors gone, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen has sought to reassure those remaining in the office. However, officials say his comments have unsettled them further, and the office remains on edge.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/renee-good-investigation-minnesota-trump.html