North Dakota Senators Criticized for Lack of Accountability

Letter calls out Senators Cramer and Hoeven for blaming victims in DHS killings

Feb. 4, 2026 at 3:31pm

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A letter to the editor criticizes North Dakota Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven for their response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by DHS agents. The letter accuses the senators of blaming the victims and failing to hold the agents accountable, drawing parallels to how Cramer's own son was treated when he was involved in a fatal car accident.

Why it matters

The letter highlights a perceived double standard in how the senators respond to incidents involving law enforcement, with the senators quick to blame victims but not hold their own family members accountable. It also raises broader questions about the role of political leaders in addressing use of force by federal agencies.

The details

According to the letter, Senator Cramer blamed the victims Renee Good and Alex Pretti for their own deaths at the hands of DHS agents, claiming they were "obstructing justice." The letter notes that if the victims had committed a crime, they should have stood trial, just as Cramer's own son did after a fatal car accident. Instead, Good was left to bleed out for 10 minutes before receiving medical attention, and Pretti was shot 10 times in the back. The letter also criticizes the senators for blaming Democratic state and local leaders, accusing them of not cooperating with federal law enforcement, despite the senators' own calls for leaders to "tone down inflammatory rhetoric."

  • On January 7, 2026, Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent.
  • On January 24, 2026, Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent.

The players

Kevin Cramer

A Republican U.S. Senator from North Dakota who blamed the victims for their own deaths at the hands of DHS agents.

John Hoeven

A Republican U.S. Senator from North Dakota who also blamed the Democratic state and local leaders for not cooperating with federal law enforcement.

Renee Good

A victim who was fatally shot by an ICE agent while allegedly obstructing federal law enforcement operations.

Alex Pretti

A victim who was fatally shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent while allegedly inserting himself into federal law enforcement operations.

Tim Walz

The Democratic Governor of Minnesota who was criticized by the senators for not cooperating with federal law enforcement.

Jacob Frey

The Democratic Mayor of Minneapolis who was also criticized by the senators for not cooperating with federal law enforcement.

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What they’re saying

“On Jan. 7, 2026, Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent while obstructing Operation Metro Surge pursuits with her vehicle. On Jan. 24, 2026, Alex Pretti was also fatally shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent while inserting himself into federal law enforcement operations.”

— Kevin Cramer, U.S. Senator

“The concept of a city declaring itself a sanctuary for illegal and violent criminals is foolish, and then to not be cooperative with federal law enforcement, to not allow your state and local officers to collaborate and cooperate with federal law enforcement, just adds more tension to an already tense situation.”

— Kevin Cramer, U.S. Senator

“Imagine if that was your husband or your wife out there trying to enforce the law to keep us safe.”

— John Hoeven, U.S. Senator

What’s next

The letter calls for greater accountability and a more balanced approach from the senators, rather than simply blaming victims and local leaders.

The takeaway

This incident highlights a perceived double standard in how political leaders respond to use of force by law enforcement, with a tendency to defend agents' actions while failing to hold them accountable. It underscores the need for more balanced and nuanced discussions around these complex issues.