Written by Emma Goad, Staff Writer
Read on the tragedy that unfolded in Minneapolis, how the current administration’s reaction has shown a tolerance for state sanctioned violence, and what your rights are if you come in contact with ICE.
On Jan 7, 2026 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed Renee Good, legal bystander, in Minneapolis and then proceeded to block a doctor from providing medical help who was on scene, and later once again blocking an ambulance from reaching her. Following this event, federal officials released statements unsurprisingly in defiance of reality as multiple videos of the shooting, recorded from various angles, directly contradict what is described in the statements. The most notable of these being Donald Trump. The statement was put out on Truth Social and contained lies such as making it seem as though it is a miracle the agent is alive and painting the victim as a “professional agitator”, claiming she was a part of the “radical left movement of violence and hate.”
When this statement had been posted, her political ideology was unknown and was Donald Trump’s pathetic attempt to excuse the murder of a citizen and protect the safety of the murderer. In the clips of the shooting, it is apparent that by the time the agent had pulled out his gun he was already out of the path of the moving vehicle, meaning that he was in a position in which posed no clear threat to his life, or high risk of being hit by her car. Not to mention, her wheels are very clearly turned away from the direction of the agent. To claim that any injury was inflicted upon the agent and that they had reason to believe that they were at risk of losing their own life; to believe Trump when he declares that the agent was exercising self defense, would be to deny one’s eye of the truth that can be seen. Because these two things cannot logically coexist; her wheels could not be turned away while also attempting to run him over. Understandably, in some of the footage it can be interpreted as ethically warranted. However, this video is very low quality and therefore is deceptive. Nevertheless, Trump does not care if it was self defense or not. Trump is attempting to create a contemporary Republican party system that normalizes violence and incentivizes cruelty. He enjoys that ICE is marching into communities-perfectly safe communities- scaring all of the residents, and shooting people in the face. If one were to allow themselves to not be clouded by bias, one can see that the agent’s life was not in danger. It simply comes down to the fact that either one does not care and/or prioritizes their desire for emotional resonance over exercising their rational faculties. It is okay to be wrong and to change one’s mind; politics is not sports and therefore should not be treated as such.
Due to the heavy increase in ICE activity, it is important to know your rights. If an agent is at a person’s door, they have the right to leave their door closed, ask for the agent’s ID and contact information, and/or ask for a warrant signed by a judge. If ICE stops someone, they have the right to remain silent, refuse to sign anything ICE gives them, and/or ask for a lawyer. It is also important to know what ICE does not have the right to do; they cannot enter into private spaces (such as one’s home or school) without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
In some instances, ICE has been known to show a warrant of removal and claim they have the right to arrest someone. However, be weary, as they are legally allowed to lie to people.
If a person is being detained, it is always safe to ask, “Am I free to go?”. This can be asked repeatedly until they answer the question. Anyone is legally allowed to film ICE as long as it does not cause interference with an arrest. One should always remember to stay calm when interacting with any law enforcement agent and to remember their rights which protect them.