A wave of resignations has hit the top federal prosecutor's office in Minnesota following pressure from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning investigations into a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
Senior Prosecutors Walk Out Over Investigation Direction
At least four career federal prosecutors submitted their resignations on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, in a dramatic protest against directives from Washington. The departures were triggered by the DOJ's insistence that prosecutors investigate the widow of Renee Good, a motorist shot dead by an ICE officer last week, while simultaneously rebuffing efforts to investigate the agent involved.
The group includes veteran prosecutor Joseph Thompson, who was previously appointed by former President Donald Trump to serve as Minnesota’s acting U.S. attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney. Thompson had been overseeing a major fraud investigation connected to the president's deployment of federal law enforcement officers in the state.
He was joined by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda Williams, Harry Jacobs, and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez in tendering their resignations.
Context of Widespread Discontent at Justice Department
This abrupt exodus from the Minnesota office mirrors recent turmoil within the DOJ's own Civil Rights Division. At least four officials there have also left their posts, reportedly frustrated by division chief Harmeet Dhillon's refusal to authorise an investigation into the ICE agent's shooting of Renee Good.
The killing has ignited widespread protests and significant political outrage across the state and beyond, putting immense pressure on authorities to ensure a transparent and impartial inquiry.
The central conflict appears to be a stark disagreement over the focus of the federal response. While local career prosecutors sought to scrutinise the actions of the ICE agent, senior DOJ leadership pushed for an investigation into the victim's widow, a move the resigning officials found professionally untenable.
Ongoing Fallout and Unanswered Questions
The mass resignation of such senior legal figures represents a profound crisis of confidence within the federal justice system in Minnesota. It raises serious questions about political influence over law enforcement and the independence of prosecutorial decisions.
The key question remains: will the ICE agent who shot Renee Good ever face federal charges? With the lead prosecutors on the case now gone and the Civil Rights Division declining to act, the path to accountability appears obstructed.
This story is still developing, and the departures are likely to intensify scrutiny on the Department of Justice's handling of the case and its broader implications for the rule of law.
