The meeting will tackle the rule of law, voting rights and open speech
American Bar Association president Michelle A. Behnke has issued a statement on the recent shootings in Minneapolis that saw US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti die in encounters with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Behnke called for a “fair and open government investigation” into Good and Pretti’s deaths and pointed out that there was “confusion and fear as to the legalities at hand.” She characterized the level of violence as “not normal.”
She said that the incidents highlighted the need to protect constitutional rights like freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press.
“The rule of law undergirds these inalienable rights. It ensures that all people and all government entities are accountable to laws that are clear, just and fair,” Behnke said in the statement.
Her comments come as the ABA’s 2026 midyear meeting, set for February 4-9, approaches. The rule of law, voting rights, and free speech are key topics on the agenda for the meeting, which will take place in San Antonio.
The ABA House of Delegates will convene in person at the Henry B. González Convention Center’s HemisFair Ballroom to discuss policy matters involving judicial independence and safety, public service loan forgiveness, the justice department’s independence, Medicaid funding, immigration law enforcement, and the deployment of National Guard and military forces in US cities. HOD chair Jonathan Cole will lead the meeting.
Behnke is set to deliver remarks, as will ABA president-elect Barbara J. Howard, president-elect nominee Laura V. Farber and executive director Alpha Brady. Former US district judge Royal Furgeson Jr. will also discuss protecting judicial independence in an era of increasing political pressure on the legal profession, including the role of an independent judiciary in maintaining constitutional democracy; global perspectives on threats to judicial independence, from authoritarian regimes to democratic backsliding; practical strategies for legal professionals to defend courts from political interference; lessons from international colleagues who have faced similar challenges; and the importance of solidarity among judges, lawyers, and prosecutors in upholding the rule of law.
