ICE Shootings in Minneapolis, Portland Spark Outrage as Protests Erupt/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Protesters took to the streets across the country following two separate shootings by immigration officers in Minneapolis and Portland. The Minneapolis shooting, which killed Renee Good, and the Portland incident, which injured two Venezuelan nationals, have intensified criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Demonstrations have erupted nationwide, demanding justice and transparency.
Immigration Shootings Protest Quick Looks
- Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis
- Two Venezuelans shot in Portland outside a hospital
- Demonstrations have spread across multiple U.S. cities
- DHS claims suspects used vehicles as weapons
- Protesters, local leaders reject self-defense claims by officers
- Mayor Frey calls federal narrative “garbage” after video review
- Minnesota blocked from participating in shooting investigation
- Over 2,300 arrests reported in Trump immigration operation
- ICE agent involved in Good’s death is a military veteran
- Civil unrest follows years of tension over immigration enforcement
- Classes canceled in Minneapolis amid safety concerns
- Federal agents being redirected from Louisiana to Minnesota
- Protests seen in Washington, Los Angeles, Texas, Detroit, Missouri
- American flag burned, ICE facilities targeted in protests
ICE Shootings in Minneapolis, Portland Spark Outrage as Protests Erupt
Deep Look
MINNEAPOLIS — Protesters nationwide are venting anger over two recent immigration enforcement shootings — one that killed a woman in Minneapolis, and another that left two Venezuelan nationals injured in Portland — both part of President Donald Trump’s expanding crackdown on undocumented immigrants in major cities.
Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot Wednesday by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis as she attempted to flee a traffic stop. Her death triggered immediate protests in the city, including a march through icy rain Thursday night, with demonstrators chanting “ICE out now!” and carrying signs reading, “Killer ICE off our streets.” A spontaneous shrine near the site of the shooting was preserved as city workers cleared barricades from the surrounding area.
Just a day later in Portland, federal agents shot two individuals outside a hospital. The Department of Homeland Security identified the victims as Venezuelan nationals Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras. Their current medical conditions were not released. The incident is under investigation by the FBI and the Oregon Department of Justice.
Portland officials quickly demanded ICE suspend operations pending a full investigation. Mayor Keith Wilson and city council members called for immediate accountability. Protests erupted Thursday night at a local ICE facility, resulting in arrests after police ordered demonstrators to leave the street and clear a path for traffic.
Both shootings have been defended by federal officials. DHS stated that the suspects posed immediate threats by allegedly attempting to weaponize their vehicles. However, those claims have been met with skepticism from local authorities and civil rights groups. In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed the federal narrative as “garbage,” pointing to video evidence showing questionable use of force.
The Minneapolis incident occurred during the second day of what DHS has described as its largest-ever immigration enforcement operation. With more than 2,000 officers involved, over 1,500 arrests have already been made in the Twin Cities alone. Federal documents show that agents are being reassigned from operations in Louisiana to reinforce the Minnesota effort.
Renee Good’s death marks at least the fifth fatality linked to immigration enforcement actions since Trump resumed large-scale raids. The killing has revived trauma in a city still grappling with the 2020 police killing of George Floyd. Schools were closed for the remainder of the week as a precaution, and protests have spread well beyond Minneapolis.
Demonstrators have also taken to the streets in California, Texas, Missouri, and Washington, D.C., where a woman marched with a sign reading “Stop Trump’s Gestapo.” In Texas, protesters banged on the walls of an ICE facility in Pflugerville. In Los Angeles, a man burned an American flag outside a federal detention center.
Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced Thursday that it had been blocked from participating in the investigation of Good’s death. The FBI and Justice Department declined to share evidence with state investigators, citing jurisdictional limits. BCA Director Drew Evans said the agency could not meet legal standards for an investigation without access to key information.
Governor Tim Walz expressed frustration, insisting the state must be part of any credible review. “It will be very difficult for Minnesotans to accept the legitimacy of an investigation that excludes their own officials,” he said.
Multiple videos captured Good’s shooting from different angles. The footage shows ICE agents approaching her SUV, yelling at her to open the door. One officer appears to try to grab the handle as the vehicle starts moving. Another agent standing in front of the SUV then fires at close range as the vehicle rolls forward. Whether or not the vehicle made contact remains unclear, and there’s no evidence she had previous interactions with agents that day.
Federal records have identified the officer who shot Good as Jonathan Ross, a veteran of both ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol with nearly two decades of experience. Although Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has not publicly named him, a spokesperson confirmed that Ross was involved in a 2023 incident in Minnesota where he was dragged during a traffic stop and fired a Taser. The driver in that case was convicted of assaulting a federal officer.
Attempts to contact Ross were unsuccessful.
Homeland Security officials, including Secretary Noem and President Trump, have continued to paint both the Minneapolis and Portland incidents as justified, describing the agents’ actions as defensive measures in response to violent threats. Trump has made lowering gas prices and enhancing border security major pillars of his re-election campaign, often tying immigration enforcement to broader national security themes.
But critics see these crackdowns as deliberate escalations meant to provoke fear in immigrant communities.
“The administration’s response has not been about safety — it’s about control,” said one Minneapolis organizer. “People are dying, and we’re told to be quiet about it.”
With protests growing, and the state effectively sidelined in key investigations, pressure is mounting for federal agencies to increase transparency and allow local oversight. Meanwhile, demonstrators continue to gather in cities across the U.S., united in their demand: accountability for immigration enforcement actions that turn deadly.
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