Recent events reflect a troubling pattern of executive overreach and impunity that undermines fundamental principles of democracy. The fatal shootings of Renée Nicole Good on 7 January and Alex Pretti on 24 January occurred amid widespread protests against the increasingly broad and unlawful powers exercised by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In 2025 ICE detained tens of thousands of people and conducted a record number of removal flights of immigrants, with 2,138 taking place in that year.

Mr Pretti was reportedly filming ICE officers and intervened when two individuals were being pushed by an agent. After being pepper sprayed, restrained and appearing to be disarmed of a legal firearm that was holstered, he was struck repeatedly before being fatally shot. Ms Good was shot three times by a masked ICE agent on a Minneapolis street. These deaths add to at least 12 previous shootings of civilians by ICE officials under the current administration.

The right to life is a jus cogens norm, binding on all states without exception. Additionally, as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the US is legally obligated to uphold the right to life (Article 6) and the right to peaceful assembly (Article 21).

These obligations are reinforced by the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (Articles 1 and 21) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 3 and 20(1)). The US must fulfil its obligations to uphold these rights, and independently and promptly investigate any violations.

IBAHRI co-chair Mark Stephens CBE said: “It is a source of great concern that we are seeing in Minneapolis, and across the United States, the use of a policing force, an arm of the state, overreaching, with no means of identification, where they cover their faces, where there are no identifying numbers on their clothing, allowing them to enjoy immunity from prosecution.”

IBAHRI co-chair Hina Jilani added: “Every life lost is a tragedy. But when a life is lost through breaches of fundamental human rights carried out by public authorities, the institutions that are meant to protect citizens, and no one is held to account, a message is sent to the wider community that impunity will reign. We cannot allow this to happen. The IBAHRI hopes that meaningful investigations into the violations committed by ICE are able to be carried out without impediment.”