An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and activist, on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis after she struck him with her vehicle during a confrontation. The incident has sparked widespread protests against ICE operations and led to resignations among Justice Department lawyers. Federal officials describe the shooting as self-defense, while local leaders condemn it as excessive force.
On January 7, 2026, at the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Nicole Good during Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration initiative targeting undocumented immigrants in the Twin Cities that began in December. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Good, accompanied by her wife Rebecca 'Becca' Good, blocked a street with her car, refused to exit after agents' requests, and accelerated toward Ross, striking him and causing internal bleeding in his torso. Ross fired three shots in response, and he was treated at a hospital before release, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said. Good's last words, captured on video, were, “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.” Ross's cellphone video allegedly recorded him calling her a “fucking bitch” afterward.
Protests erupted immediately, with crowds blocking streets using debris and signs quoting Assata Shakur. In sub-freezing temperatures, demonstrators gathered at the shooting site for vigils with about 30 candles and marched to the St. Paul ICE field office, where around 2,000 people hurled insults like “Go kill yourself” and “You f*cking traitorous scum” at officers. Police responded with tear gas and pepper balls. Larger rallies followed: an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 on January 9 disrupted traffic and prompted business closures, including graffiti and noise protests outside the Canopy Hotel, believed to house ICE agents. Streets were blocked for hours, leading to arrests. Representative Ilhan Omar addressed protesters, saying, “We’re going to show all of them the door out” and “make sure that these people pay for what they have done to us.” A local McDonald’s posted a “No ICE Access” sign, which was removed after corporate intervention.
The shooting prompted backlash within the Justice Department. On January 12, four Civil Rights Division lawyers resigned, citing exclusion from the investigation, which typically involves their unit for law enforcement shootings. On January 13, six lawyers from the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s office, including second-in-command Joseph Thompson, quit over orders to probe Becca Good’s political affiliations rather than Ross’s actions. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara noted, “When you lose the leader responsible for making the fraud cases, it tells you this isn’t really about prosecuting fraud.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned ICE, stating, “Get the f**k out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here... you are doing exactly the opposite” of creating safety. He called self-defense claims “bullsh*t” and a “garbage narrative.” President Trump labeled the Goods “professional agitators,” and Noem called Good a “domestic terrorist,” though The New York Times reported no evidence of anti-ICE ties. Agent Ross is in hiding due to death threats, per border czar Tom Homan.
Amid the unrest, ICE arrested several undocumented individuals on January 13, including Teng Houa Vang on domestic assault and other charges, and others for sexual assault, drug trafficking, and violence. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “We are in Minnesota to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” criticizing local leaders for non-cooperation. In a CNN interview, Good’s former father-in-law Timmy Macklin refused to blame ICE or the Goods, saying, “I don’t blame anybody... it’s a hard situation all the way around,” and citing biblical principles.
