Minneapolis Seeks Involvement in Probe of Woman’s Death by Immigration Officer

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Protesters clashed with federal agents outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on January 8, 2026.— AFP

The Minneapolis mayor urged investigators from the state to be allowed to join the federal investigation into the fatal shooting of a U.S. woman by immigration enforcement officials. He criticized the Trump administration for prejudging the case.

Minnesota authorities expressed frustration that their law enforcement agencies had been excluded from the probe into the death of motorist Renee Nicole Good, who was shot on Wednesday by a federal immigration officer.

The Trump administration has attempted to depict the victim as a “domestic terrorist,” maintaining that the ICE officer who shot her was acting in self-defense.

“This isn’t the moment to relax the rules. It’s a time to adhere to the law […]. It’s troubling that Pam Bondi’s Department of Justice and this presidential administration have already reached conclusions about the facts,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, said during a briefing Friday.

“Heads of the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have consistently handled such investigations. Why aren’t they at the table?” Frey asked.

“We’re not just talking about control; we’re talking about being involved in the process,” he added.

On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance claimed the ICE officer, identified in media reports as Jonathan Ross, had “absolute immunity.”

Initially, Minnesota officials said local investigators were invited by the FBI to participate, but they were later prevented from joining the investigation.

Good, 37, was shot in the head as she reportedly tried to drive away in her car during an ICE encounter. Officers said her vehicle blocked their path.

Since Trump launched a crackdown on immigration, four people have lost their lives and seven others have been injured due to ICE actions, according to The Trace, which monitors gun violence.

Thursday saw large, noisy protests in Minneapolis, where demonstrators chanted against ICE. Federal agents armed with pepperballs and tear gas subdued several protesters.

In an unrelated incident Thursday afternoon, federal agents in Portland, Oregon, shot and wounded two individuals, according to local police.

A Minneapolis resident, Eleanor, told AFP, “ICE needs to leave Minnesota. We don’t want them here. They’re not criminals—actually, ICE themselves are the criminals.”