DHS, Minnesota Officials Clash Over Fatal ICE Shooting as Investigations Continue
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that the woman killed in a fatal encounter involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer had been interfering with federal agents for hours before the shooting.
Noem identified the woman as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good and said federal agents repeatedly instructed her to stop obstructing their operation and leave her vehicle. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Good refused those commands during the confrontation.
DHS officials said video footage from the scene shows Good’s vehicle stopped in a residential roadway as ICE agents approached and ordered her to exit. Authorities said she responded by telling agents to “go around” before shifting the vehicle into reverse and attempting to leave. An ICE officer then fired as the vehicle moved backward.
Noem said investigators believe Good used her vehicle as a weapon and attempted to strike a federal officer, describing the incident as an attack on law enforcement. DHS classified the shooting as an act of “domestic terrorism,” arguing that the alleged use of a vehicle against federal agents represented an intentional attempt to cause harm.
Local officials strongly challenged the federal government’s version of events. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the justification for the shooting, saying Good was fatally wounded and criticizing DHS’s description of the encounter. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also rejected the federal account, accusing the department of presenting a misleading narrative and promising a thorough state review.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The incident comes amid rising tensions over immigration enforcement nationwide. DHS recently announced the deployment of additional federal officers to the Twin Cities as part of efforts targeting criminal activity and alleged fraud. Critics, including progressive lawmakers, accused ICE of lacking transparency and accountability, while supporters of the agency defended federal officers and called for stronger protections for law enforcement personnel.
Vice President JD Vance voiced support for ICE following the shooting, saying the administration would continue backing federal agents and warning that attacks against officers would not weaken enforcement efforts.
