By Trendsetter Tribune 
At least six career prosecutors in the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s Office resign over political pressure and case handling following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good, raising concerns about federal investigations in Minnesota.
At least six career prosecutors in the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, resigned in protest amid ongoing political pressure over the handling of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
Thompson, who previously served as acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota from June to October 2025 after being appointed by President Trump, resigned along with Harry Jacobs, Melinda Williams, Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, Ruth Schneider, and Tom Hollenhurst.
Concerns Over Case Handling
Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that the resignations were prompted by objections to how the investigation is being conducted. Specifically, prosecutors expressed concerns over requests to probe Good’s widow, who was present during the incident, and over classifying the case as an assault on a federal officer rather than a civil rights investigation.
Thompson also reportedly objected to federal investigators refusing to cooperate with Minnesota state agencies in examining the circumstances surrounding Good’s death, The New York Times reported.
Doug Kelley, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Minnesota, described the resignations as a serious blow to the office’s credibility.
“I’ve been practicing federal criminal law in this state for 51 years and this is the darkest day in 51 years as far as I can see for the rule of law in Minnesota,” Kelley said. “If they feel the need to resign because of orders they have gotten that will violate their consciences, to me it’s a great statement on their part that this is not tolerable by them.”
Thompson’s Career and Recent Cases
Thompson led high-profile prosecutions, including the Feeding Our Future case, a $250 million COVID-era fraud scheme targeting programs designed to feed schoolchildren. He has also pursued cases involving fraud in housing and autism service programs, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz disputing claims that fraud in the state totals $9 billion.
In addition, Thompson filed charges against Vance Boelter, accused of killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived.
Political and Community Reactions
The resignations have sparked reactions from state leaders. Walz called Thompson’s departure a “huge loss for our state,” adding that the resignations signal a troubling trend of career professionals being pushed out of the Department of Justice in favor of political appointees.
“It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants,” Walz wrote on X.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar echoed concerns about political interference in prosecutions.
“These career public servants have served our state through multiple tragedies and critical investigations. We cannot allow prosecutors to be driven by politics. The family and loved ones of Renee Good deserve justice, not political attacks,” Klobuchar said on X.
Context: ICE Operations in Minnesota
The resignations come amid heightened federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, following allegations of fraud in programs largely involving the state’s Somali-American community. Thompson’s prosecutions of Feeding Our Future defendants, many of Somali descent, were cited by the Trump administration as justification for deploying thousands of federal immigration agents to Minneapolis.