Trump Administration Hands Over Key Evidence in Minnesota Immigration Shooting Investigations

The Trump administration has provided Minnesota prosecutors with evidence previously withheld in investigations into three shootings involving federal immigration agents during deportation operations earlier this year, marking a significant development in the high-profile cases.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Monday that federal authorities transferred a large collection of evidence after six months of negotiations, legal disputes, and an ongoing lawsuit. The materials include body camera footage, digital records, and Renee Good’s bullet-damaged vehicle, all of which are expected to aid state investigations.

Moriarty said the evidence was shared following discussions with the office of Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. She welcomed the move, emphasizing that cooperation between federal and state authorities is essential for public trust and accountability.

The investigations stem from three separate incidents during President Donald Trump’s Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign launched in Minnesota last winter. On Jan. 7, ICE agents fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good while she was inside her vehicle. Border Patrol agents later fatally shot another U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti, during protests on Jan. 24. On Jan. 14, ICE agent Christian Castro shot Venezuelan national Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg.

Moriarty has not yet decided whether to file state criminal charges against the agents involved in the Good and Pretti shootings. However, Castro has already been charged under Minnesota law with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the Sosa-Celis case.

Minnesota’s Democratic leaders criticized the immigration operation, alleging widespread violations of constitutional rights and calling for accountability. State officials previously sued after the federal government declined to share evidence, arguing that only the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security had jurisdiction over the investigations. Moriarty said the lawsuit could be resolved after prosecutors complete their review of the newly received evidence.

State prosecutions of federal law enforcement officers remain uncommon and legally challenging, particularly when the Justice Department argues agents were acting within the scope of their official duties. Following public backlash over the shootings, the Trump administration ended Operation Metro Surge in February, replacing mass immigration sweeps with more targeted enforcement efforts. Recent fatal encounters involving immigration agents in Texas and Maine have continued to draw attention to federal immigration enforcement practices.