Renee Good's family sues Trump administration, ICE agent
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Becca Good stands with the parents and family of her late partner, Renee, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January. Photo: Kyle Stokes/Axios
Renee Good's family filed two civil lawsuits over her killing during Operation Metro Surge — including one against six current and former Trump administration officials, as well as the ICE agent who shot and killed her.
The big picture: The lawsuits are an attempt to hold the feds accountable in civil court for both Good's death and the broader immigration enforcement blitz.
- The Trump administration has declined to open any formal inquiry into the agents who shot Good and Alex Pretti, and any state-level criminal charges from the shootings would face legal hurdles.
What they're saying: "Living without her was like trying to live without the sun," her partner Becca Good said Thursday, addressing reporters in her first public comments since Renee's death.
- "I don't hate the people who took her away from us," she said. "We are here because Renee's love and legacy demand a better world."
The latest: The lawsuits target the ICE agent who shot Good, identified in court filings as Jonathan Ross.
- One suit argues Ross violated the Department of Homeland Security's use-of-force policies by standing in front of Good's SUV, escalating the encounter, and opening fire after the car's wheels turned away from him.
- "He knew better, he did it anyway, and as a result, there were deadly consequences," said Antonio Romanucci, founding partner of Romanucci & Blandin, the Chicago firm handling the case.
The second lawsuit — filed partially under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 — is meant to target what the Good family's attorneys termed a "nefarious conspiracy" in the Trump administration to "target Somali and Hispanic Americans."
Zoom in: The suit names as defendants current White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, border czar Tom Homan, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem; as well as former officials Corey Lewandowski, Todd Lyons and Greg Bovino.
- The suit argues Operation Metro Surge "was a direct product of the President's unmistakable animus toward people of Somali origin," and later morphed into a "coordinated campaign" to "terrorize" Latino residents as well.
- "Renee's death was a predictable result of a coordinated campaign by senior administration officials," said Romanucci & Blandin attorney Benjamin Berkman.
The other side: "We intend to vigorously defend these baseless civil lawsuits," White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Axios in a statement that called for more media coverage of "innocent Americans" who've been killed by non-citizens.
- Bis also referred Axios to President Trump's comments from a week after Good's killing: "When you look at the way [Good's] car was pulled away… there are a couple versions of that tape that are very, very bad."
Reality check: It's extremely difficult to individually sue a federal official successfully because they enjoy "qualified immunity" for actions connected to their government job.
- Romanucci told reporters agents "do not get a free pass" to violate Americans' rights.
What we're watching: Romanucci declined to comment on any discussions he's had with state officials about their investigation into the shooting.
- "We will continue that discussion," he added, because Good's vehicle is now in Minnesota officials' custody.
Axios has also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and may be updated.