This Is a Huge Problem': CNN's Elie Honig Unleashes on the Trump Administration for Prejudging ICE Shooting Case

"This is a huge problem because now we've had the three most powerful officials in the executive branch, essentially, on this matter, the president, vice president, and DHS secretary based on no investigation this investigation is brand new come out and publicly and definitively declare: All clear here, it's the fault of the woman, nothing to do wrong by the DHS agent.' How is there supposed to be an independent investigation at this point? And how is the public supposed to see any investigation as independent?"

"And let's think about the two scenarios here. The FBI is investigating this. Let's say six weeks from now, whenever they're done, they come out and say, Nothing to see here, shooting was clear, no problem. Are people going to accept that given that the president has already announced that would be the outcome? But let's also consider the alternative. What if the FBI does its investigation and concludes this was a bad shooting, this was criminal, and there should be an indictment?"

The president, vice president, and DHS secretary publicly declared the Minneapolis ICE shooting justified before an FBI investigation concluded. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reported that the FBI excluded them from investigating the incident. Pre-declaration by top officials creates two problematic scenarios: if the FBI later finds no wrongdoing, public acceptance will be undermined because officials already announced that outcome; if the FBI finds the shooting criminal and recommends indictment, the prior statements raise doubts that the president and Justice Department would allow a case to proceed. Those public declarations damage perceptions of investigative independence.

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