SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom say state and local police have the right to investigate federal agents if they may have broken state law.
The reminder comes after two people, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed in Minnesota during encounters with federal officers. California officials say the federal government has blocked state investigators from accessing evidence in those cases.
A person holds a sign of Alex Pretti during a protest outside the office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Newsom said California cannot simply accept the federal government’s version of events when someone is killed.
“Trump Administration officials have repeatedly lied to the American people,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release on Tuesday. “Given what has happened in Minnesota, we cannot outsource our fundamental duty to protect Californians by simply accepting federal narratives. Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access. Concerns that the federal government was doing exactly that in obstructing Minnesota state and local law enforcement investigations into the tragic killing of a 37-year old VA nurse prompted a Trump-appointed judge to order the Trump Administration not to destroy evidence relevant to the investigation. Our local and state law enforcement are the front line for ensuring due process and public trust. Every state and local agency must remember its role, exercise its full authority, and always ensure the protection of the people of this state. Transparency isn’t a talking point; it’s a legal and moral requirement.”
RELATED | PHOTOS: ‘Enough Is Enough’ Anti-ICE Protest at Redding City Hall
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 26: Students protest against ICE during a walkout at the University of Minnesota on January 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Rene Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Bonta said federal agents are not above state law and can be investigated or charged if the facts support it.
“California stands ready to take all necessary steps to investigate potentially unlawful conduct by federal agents that occurs on our soil, and where the facts warrant, file charges for violations of the California Penal Code,” Bonta said in the release. “Let there be no question: State and local law enforcement in California have authority to investigate potential violations of state law, even when those violations are committed by federal agents. Federal courts have long recognized that federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state law prosecution. Any assertions to the contrary are untrue — and deeply damaging to public trust and the integrity of our justice system. While federal and state law enforcement have long collaborated on investigations that result in both federal and state criminal charges, unfortunately, as recent events in Minnesota have made clear, cooperation in the conduct of such investigations can no longer be expected from the federal government. This reality does not change our responsibility to conduct a thorough, independent investigation of potential state law crimes, and I promise that my office will do just that.”
State officials said the California Department of Justice will help local police gather evidence and investigate similar incidents in California.
—