On January 26, 2026, American Bar Association President Michelle A. Behnke issued a statement responding to the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both U.S. citizens, during encounters with immigration agents in Minneapolis.
Behnke emphasized that “this level of violence is not normal” and urged a fair, open government investigation to establish the facts and ensure accountability. She also highlighted the constitutional rights she said are implicated—freedom of speech, assembly, and the press—and framed the Rule of Law as essential to protecting those rights by holding both individuals and government actors accountable to clear and just laws.