U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), along with Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and other Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open a civil rights investigation into the death of Renee Good. Ms. Good was fatally shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis earlier this month.
The senators sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon after DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced it would not investigate the incident, despite requests from career prosecutors within the department. The letter notes that previous administrations have typically opened civil rights reviews following fatal law enforcement encounters, even when criminal charges were unlikely.
“Your decision not to investigate the ICE agent’s conduct is a marked departure from past administrations of both parties, which historically have taken swift action to open civil rights reviews of many fatal interactions with law enforcement. These investigations have been conducted even when criminal charges were considered unlikely,” wrote the senators. “After you informed Division personnel that you would not consider opening an investigation into whether the ICE agent violated federal law, several career prosecutors —including the head of the Criminal Section, which is responsible for these investigations—accelerated planned departures from the Division.”
Public reports indicate that multiple career prosecutors in DOJ’s Civil Rights Division offered to lead an inquiry into Ms. Good’s shooting, but Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche supported Assistant AG Dhillon’s decision not to proceed with an investigation, stating there was “no basis” for a civil rights probe. This position reportedly conflicts with an FBI agent’s initial review that found sufficient grounds existed for such an investigation.
The senators also criticized DOJ’s choice to focus instead on investigating alleged connections between Ms. Good, her widow, and groups monitoring ICE activity in Minneapolis without involving local Minnesota authorities—a move described as highly unusual. According to their letter, six lawyers from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota resigned in protest over this approach.
“Instead of investigating Ms. Good’s killing, DOJ has announced the U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota would investigate alleged connections between Ms. Good and her widow and groups that have been monitoring ICE activity in Minneapolis. DOJ ordered federal agents to conduct its investigation without Minnesota’s local authorities,” continued the senators. “Refusing to share investigative materials or permit a joint investigation is highly unusual. Six lawyers from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota have also resigned in protest of this investigation.”
The lawmakers concluded: “Your decision not to investigate Ms. Good’s killing reflects a trend in the Division under your leadership of ignoring the enforcement of civil rights laws in favor of carrying out President Trump’s political agenda. This trend, combined with apparent political interference in investigative and prosecutorial decisions, undermines public trust, the legitimacy of our institutions, and the rule of law. We urge you to listen to career prosecutors and open a civil rights investigation into the death of Ms. Good.”
In addition to Senators Hirono and Welch, signatories include Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
A full copy of their letter is available online.
