Protests in the US over the killing of an immigration agent in Minneapolis
More than 1,000 demonstrations have been held across the country, and anger and indignation are palpable in the streets.
WashingtonAnger and outrage have spread across the United States as quickly as the video of Renee Nicole Good's murder went viral. More than a thousand demonstrations were held from coast to coast this Saturday to protest the killing of this 37-year-old mother by an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent in Minneapolis and the escalating violence by federal agents. The day after the shooting in this Midwestern city, Border Patrol (CBP) agents shot and wounded two other people in Portland.
"This killing is part of a broader pattern of unchecked violence and abuse perpetrated by federal immigration enforcement agencies against members of our communities," The Workers Circle, one of the groups that joined the demonstration along with the American Civil Liberties Union, stated in a press release.
Since Donald Trump launched his mass deportation campaign a year ago, at least eleven people have been shot by immigration agents (either ICE or CBP). Two of these cases have resulted in death: Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Sergio Villegas in Chicago, Illinois.
As with Good on Wednesday, in all cases the people shot by ICE were inside their cars. The Department of Homeland Security's response has also been the same in all cases: the agents fired in self-defense, fearing they would be run over by the vehicle.
Given the widespread attention the case of this Minneapolis mother has received, even the White House has publicly expressed its support for immigration enforcement. Vice President JD Vance defended the agent's actions by saying he has "total immunity"—which is false—and blaming Good for being shot, deflecting his alleged "left-wing ideology": "It's a self-inflicted tragedy." The justification given by the authorities, which contradicts what is seen in the recordings, further enraged the population.
The images show As one of the agents grabbed the door handle of Good's car, she reversed slightly and then tried to move forward with the wheel turned to the right. Another agent then appeared and fired a shot as the car moved in that direction and passed by.
Meanwhile, a conservative media outlet shared the version of events recorded by the immigration agent himself on his cell phone. The footage from the body camera that all officers are required to wear has not yet been released. The 47-second video shows the agent getting out of a vehicle and approaching Ms. Good's car, which is partially blocking the street. The agent walks around the hood of Ms. Good's car, and the car begins to slowly reverse. Ms. Good can be heard saying, "It's okay. I'm not mad." Good is seen moving the car, but the footage cuts off as the agent reaches the back of the vehicle.