WASHINGTON, DC — Today marks one month since the killing of Alex Pretti on January 24th,
2026. New reporting recently revealed that the Trump administration backed out of a joint
investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by a Border Patrol
agent. The reversal came despite Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s previous public
commitments to transparency and cooperation with Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension.

Minnesota leaders are sounding the alarm: Governor Walz said the state is “asking for what’s
always been done,” while Attorney General Keith Ellison testified that federal authorities have
provided “no cooperation” and are “stonewalling” the investigation.
In response, 52 organizations released the following statement:

By blocking Minnesota’s investigation and attempting to shield agents from accountability, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: federal law enforcement can kill with absolute impunity. This move attempts to place federal agents above the law and beyond the reach of justice.

Alex Pretti’s family deserves answers. Getting to that truth requires federal and local law enforcement to work together – cooperation that has been standard practice for decades and remains essential to any credible investigation. The rule of law demands accountability when constitutional rights are violated.

We demand immediate action: mandatory independent investigations for all federal use of deadly force, recognition of state authority to investigate federal misconduct, federal cooperation with local investigators, and real consequences for constitutional violations. Without accountability, we allow federal forces to operate with impunity and face no consequences for taking American lives.

Signing Organizations:

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
American Constitution Society
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
American Oversight
Center for Digital Democracy
Clean Elections Texas
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Coalition on Human Needs
Common Cause
Community Change Action
Constitutional Accountability Center
Democracy 21
Democracy Defenders Action
Endangered Species Coalition
Fair and Just Prosecution
Florida for All
Friends of the Earth Action
Greenpeace USA
Human Rights First
Indivisible
Just Solutions
League of Women Voters in Minnesota
League of Women Voters of the United States
Michiganaders for Fair and Transparent Elections
MoveOn
MPower Change Action Fund
National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC)
National Education Association
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Organization for Women
National Voter Corps
National Women’s Law Center
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
People’s Action Institute
People For the American Way
People Power United
Presente.org
Project on Government Oversight
Protect Democracy
Protect Minnesota
Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK)
Public Citizen
Reproductive Freedom for All
Revolving Door Project
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Stand Up America
Take Back the Court Action Fund
The Sikh Coalition
The Workers Circle
United Church of Christ
Win Without War
Women Thinking Out Loud