Former Capitol riot prosecutors draft strategy for Congress to probe killings, federal agent conduct in Minneapolis

A half dozen former U.S. Capitol insurrection prosecutors, who helped lead the largest criminal prosecution in American history, have crafted a strategy memo to prompt Congress to investigate potential misconduct by federal immigration agents.   

A half dozen former U.S. Capitol insurrection prosecutors, who helped lead the largest criminal prosecution in American history, have crafted a strategy memo to prompt Congress to investigate potential misconduct by federal immigration agents.   

The four-page memo, which was obtained by CBS News on Sunday, details a series of investigative recommendations for Congressional committees to probe allegations of excessive force and other violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. The group of prosecutors recommends Congressional investigators use some of the same tools and techniques employed by the Justice Department between 2021 and 2025 in investigating the Capitol siege, during which more than 140 police officers were injured and more than 1,500 defendants were arrested.

The recommendations were shared with ranking members of the House Homeland Security Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee, in the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The Justice Department declined to open an investigation of the agent who shot and killed Good, while they were criticized for equivocating about an investigation into Pretti's killing.

The former prosecutors, each of whom departed the Justice Department in 2025 after President Trump's inauguration, recommend Congress hire a group of former FBI and Homeland Security agents who are "familiar with use of force" policies.  

"You benefit from the fact that many career agents and prosecutors have already left the FBI and Department of Justice, or plan to do so; many will be willing to join this effort," the memo said. "Once you've organized the team, divide your investigation into general categories of misconduct, including potentially: offenses against detained migrants, offenses against non-detained migrants, offenses against protesters and observers, and flaunting of court orders."