White House And Minnesota Officials Clash After Fatal ICE Shooting
The day after an ICE officer shot and killed a 37-year-old American citizen in Minneapolis, federal and local officials are clashing about what caused the shooting— and who should be involved in the investigation into what happened.
MN Gov. Tim Walz (D) criticized the Trump administration after the Minnesota agency tasked with investigating the killing of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent said federal authorities had frozen them out.
On Thursday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said it had been conducting a joint investigation with the FBI, but the federal agency then "reversed course," adding "the BCA would no longer have access to the case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation."
Is that typical? The FBI website says that working with state and local law enforcement officers is “central to our success.” The agency also takes into consideration “concurrent jurisdiction” — when a crime may be a violation of both state and federal law.
Walz said BCA was created to independently investigate law enforcement use-of-force cases, and has spent years earning the trust of communities.
“Now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation,” Walz said. “It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome. I say that only because people in positions of power have already passed judgment.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, “They haven’t been ‘cut out.’ They don’t have any jurisdiction in this investigation.”
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE: Vice President JD Vance responded, saying the investigation is a federal matter as it involved federal personnel. Despite the investigation only being in its early hours, Vance argues the ICE officer was acting in self-defense, is “protected by absolute immunity,’ and “was doing his job.” He blamed “leftwing radicals” — accusing Good of being “part of a broad leftwing network” — and the “corporate media” for inflaming tensions.
ON THE QUESTION OF ‘IMMUNITY’: Federal agents are generally immune from state prosecution for actions taken as part of their official duties, according to Reuters. Immunity only applies when the officer’s actions were authorized under federal law and were necessary and proper.
The state of Minnesota can charge the agent, who can ask that the case be moved to federal court where he can argue he’s immune from prosecution.
The state would have to show that his actions were outside his official duties or objectively unreasonable.
INTENT TO HARM?
Noem accused Good of “stalking and impeding“ agents all day and said her actions were an “act of domestic terrorism.” President Trump told the New York Times in an interview published Thursday morning that Good “behaved horribly… And then she ran him over. She didn’t try to run him over. She ran him over.”
Good’s ex-husband told AP News that Good had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school and was driving home with her partner when they encountered ICE agents. He said she was not an activist, and was a devoted Christian, who had moved last year from Kansas City. She also had two other children, ages 15 and 12.
On social media, Good described herself as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.”
Members of the Minneapolis City Council said in a joint statement Wednesday that Good “was out caring for her neighbors.” City leaders have called her a “legal observer” of federal activity in Minneapolis.
📲 MO NEWS COMMUNITY REACTIONS:
On the Mo News Instagram page, veterans noted that in the military, strict rules of engagement often require graduated responses, while noting that in domestic law enforcement, officers appear to be able to use deadly force much more quickly.
Noem said the officer followed protocol and noted that six months ago he had been dragged by the driver of a car while trying to arrest him in Minnesota.
Under DHS policy updated in 2023, officers may not fire solely to disable a moving vehicle.
ON THE GROUND
Hundreds of people have attended vigils and protests in Minneapolis following the shooting. The Trump administration is sending 100 more federal officials to the Minneapolis area after the shooting — that’s in addition to as many as 2,000 ICE agents sent this week — despite calls from city and state leaders for them to leave.
Minneapolis public schools closed for the remainder of the week, citing safety concerns.
Walz authorized the Minnesota National Guard to be staged and ready to support local law enforcement.