Minnesota protests escalate after fatal ICE shooting
Protests against federal immigration enforcement continued across Minnesota this week after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, an incident that has heightened tensions between state authorities and federal officials, reports Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
Demonstrations escalated after federal agents used tear gas to disperse crowds protesting recent enforcement operations. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said video footage of the confrontation contradicts claims of self-defense made by federal officials. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed those concerns, calling for a transparent and independent investigation.
BREAKING: ICE has just shot another person, this time in North Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/wg1Av0TVv5
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 15, 2026
President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice have publicly supported ICE officer Jonathan Ross, stating that he acted to protect his life during a volatile encounter. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin defended the administration’s position, arguing that public outrage was driven by what she described as hysteria surrounding immigration enforcement. “If the individual had been killed by an illegal alien, I do not believe we would be seeing these protests,” she said in a televised interview.
The controversy deepened after multiple Justice Department staff members reportedly resigned over the agency’s reluctance to open a criminal investigation into the officer involved, while examining possible activist ties linked to Renee Good and her spouse.
Tensions rose further this week after another federal operation in Minneapolis resulted in a non-fatal shooting. According to the Department of Homeland Security, a federal officer fired at a suspect during a targeted operation after being physically assaulted. Officials said the officer feared for his life. Both the officer and the suspect were hospitalized and are expected to survive.
State leaders have labeled the earlier fatal shooting unjustified and continue to challenge the expanded federal enforcement surge in court. As protests persist, Minnesota remains a focal point of the national debate over immigration enforcement, use of force, and federal authority.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that two people were hospitalized after a shooting involving federal agents in east Portland on January 8, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
