5 new flashpoints sparking American unrest with ICE
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Federal immigration agents clash with residents in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Tensions between Americans and ICE are running high after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good earlier this month.
The big picture: Americans are showing signs of discomfort about the far-reaching federal intervention of ICE and Border Patrol, with major cities like Boston and Phoenix anticipating agent arrivals.
- That expanded intervention has so far led to thousands of arrests across the country, a CEO's resignation, employees forced out of their workplaces and protesters directly arguing with federal agents, attracting criticism from lawmakers and prominent podcasters from Joe Rogan to comedian Tim Dillon.
- "These are not well-trained law enforcement people in ICE," Dillon said. "They're not the cream of the crop."
By the numbers: A majority of Americans say ICE is making the country less safe rather than more safe (47% vs 34%), according to an Economist and YouGov poll released Tuesday and conducted from Jan. 9-12.
- The same poll found that a majority of Americans say shooting Good was not justified (50% vs. 30%), while 20% were unsure.
Here are five flashpoint moments to know.
Renee Good shooting in Minnesota
An ICE officer shot and killed Good, a 37-year-old mother, in early January during "targeted operations" in Minneapolis, Axios previously reported.
- Good was not the target of the enforcement activity, law enforcement officials said at the time.
- The shooting came amid a surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, which included thousands of agents entering the state.
Protesters took to the streets nationwide for "ICE Out For Good" protests and vigils after the fatal shooting.
DHS, DOJ investigations into ICE shooting
Tension has bubbled as federal authorities indicated they wouldn't probe the officer's conduct in the Minnesota shooting.
- There's "currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday.
- Federal investigators have restricted Minnesota investigators' access to case materials and put the FBI in charge of the probe.
What they're saying: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the shooting, calling Good's actions an "act of domestic terrorism" before any investigation concluded.
- "As we uncover more of this criminal activity, we're going to continue to surge resources to make sure this abuse of government funds and government power no longer continues in Minnesota," Noem said, per CBS News.
The other side: More than 50 lawmakers signaled support for articles of impeachment against Noem.
- "Secretary Noem is failing the American people by threatening, intimidating, and harassing my neighbors and I believe she must be removed from office," said Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.).
CBP shooting in Portland
A separate shooting incident involving federal agents in Portland further added to the mounting tension.
- Federal officials said the two people who were shot were trying to harm Border Patrol agents. But local officials decried the incident as an example of federal law enforcement overreach.
Though not an ICE incident — ICE and Border Patrol are different entities — the shooting happened a day after Good's killing, giving protesters more fuel for their demonstrations.
Minnesota woman ripped from car in viral video
A woman in Minneapolis was arrested Tuesday after allegedly impeding an ICE operation in the city, according to multiple reports.
- In a video with more than 3.3 million views on X, the woman can be seen near ICE vehicles while driving close to a protest. The agents then yanked the woman from her car in a chaotic scene.
- As the woman was dragged away from her car, she can be heard yelling: "I'm disabled, I'm trying to go to the doctor up there, that's why I couldn't move. I am an autistic disabled person, I'm trying to go to the doctor."
Oglala Sioux Tribe accuses ICE of holding members
The Oglala Sioux Tribe, which is one of the largest Indigenous tribal nations in the U.S., accused ICE of illegally holding tribal members who were picked up during Minnesota raids, Axios reports.
- Oglala Sioux Tribe president Frank Star Comes Out wrote in a memo to federal officials that the tribal members should be released.
- The four men who were picked up were homeless, he wrote.
Zoom in: Star Comes Out said that federal officials told the tribal nation that they would receive information about the detained tribal members only if the tribe entered into an agreement with ICE.
- The tribe declined.
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