Lawyers line up to handle cases for families of people killed by ICE agents
Demonstrators hold signs during a protest outside the office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, on Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Photo by Adam Gray/The Associated Press)
The list of attorneys representing families of people killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is growing, despite the steep challenges involved in these cases, according to Law.com.
J. Tooson, who handles criminal defense and personal injury cases at Lessem, Newstat & Tooson in Los Angeles, is representing the mother of Keith Porter Jr. Porter was killed by an off-duty ICE agent Dec. 31, according to the story.
The parents of Alex Pretti, Michael and Susan Pretti, whose son was killed Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, have retained Steven Schleicher of Minneapolis-based Maslon, according to the Associated Press. Schleicher was a special prosecutor in the criminal trial of ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, convicted for the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Meanwhile, his sister Micayla Pretti, has hired criminal defense attorney Tony Cotton of Kuchler & Cotton in Waukesha, Wisconsin, according to the AP.
Cases against ICE are brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act and handled by a judge, not a jury, according to Law.com, and the strong immunity defenses available to the federal government makes them challenging, along with the 25% contingency fee cap for plaintiffs lawyers.
Minneapolis resident Renee Good’s widow, Becca Good, has retained Antonio Romanucci of Chicago-based Romanucci & Blandin, the story says.
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