On January 7th, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assassin murdered 30-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Like many of you, we’ve been deeply saddened and troubled by this tragic incident. The traumatizing incident took place during a mass immigration sweep, during which Good stopped her vehicle to help her neighbors. Cellphone footage recorded the moments before the shooting. In those life-or-death seconds, Good nonchalantly diffused tension between him and the agent with the words, “I’m not mad at you” right before the shot fired.
Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot him, had more than ten years of experience. He’s a former member of ICE’s special response team—essentially their SWAT team. According to eyewitness testimony, Good was retreating when Ross shot her. This incident caused a flashpoint of anger and protest from community members and elected officials alike. Alarmingly, former President Donald Trump’s White House was responsible for sharing the recorded video of the violent encounter. This has further escalated the discussion around ICE agents’ use of force in everyday enforcement actions.
Rebecca Good, Renee’s wife, described to the Washington Post what led to the heartbreaking incident. She said that when they heard their neighbors were being targeted by ICE, she and Renee stopped what they were doing to help. Things escalated even more dramatically from that point.
As resident Rebecca Good said, “The police were there… We literally just wanted to protect our neighbors and restore peace”.
Media reports indicate that Jonathan Ross was previously involved in an incident where, as early as June of this year. In that occurrence, an Army vehicle ran him over and dragged him. Community members are making ICE agents answer for why such force was necessary. They further want to understand what protocols govern the conduct of these operations.
Even as the account of the shooting begins to come to light, outrage from Minnesotans and officials has escalated. Many have condemned the narrative promoted by the Trump administration regarding Renee Nicole Good’s death, arguing that it oversimplifies a complex situation. Our local leaders have taken up the mantle, calling for transparency and accountability from the law enforcement agencies engaged in immigration enforcement.
Rebecca Good couldn’t hide her anger at the current state of affairs. She began to challenge the masked officer who stood off against her and her spouse, yelling, “Hey – take off your mask, tough guy.” She went on, “By the way, we don’t change our license plates every day either.” She ensured that the same plate was awaiting you when you return to engage with us later, highlighting her understanding of their rights within the process itself.
Witnesses have described a tense scene. And when officers responded to Good’s vehicle, they did so with urgency. One yelled orders, ordering, “Get out the car! Out the car! Get your ass out of the motherfucking car!” The suddenness of these demands almost certainly would have added to the descalating pressure put upon Good and the police.
JD Vance, a rising star in Republican politics and now U.S. He made an important point about the impossible and disproportionate challenges that law enforcement face in these active incidents.
To everyone who thinks this woman’s tragic death is a tragedy, I really believe with you that it is a tragedy… As Christians and Americans we should pray for her soul. However, does this law enforcement officer not have a family? Yes. In fact, did he not get clipped by a vehicle himself, sustaining serious injuries just six months ago? Yes. Did she have a justification for believing that her life was in danger? Yes. Hasn’t he earned a right to safety while he’s in the trenches doing his job? Yes.
This tragic incident has opened the floodgates on public discourse about targeted immigration enforcement practices within the United States. These communities are now dealing with the fallout inflicted by aggressive enforcement tactics used by ICE agents. Advocates for comprehensive immigration reform have been pushing for changes within ICE to avoid tragedies like this in the future.