Protests after ICE shooting in Minneapolis
Demonstrators confronted ICE agents and chanted in the streets following an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis.
Tensions remained high on Friday as two separate shootings involving immigration agents in Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, drew protesters to the streets and deepened fractures between federal and state officials.
In Portland, a U.S. Border Patrol officer shot and wounded two people on Jan. 8. The Department of Homeland Security called the driver a suspected Venezuelan gang member who “weaponized his vehicle.” Local officials called for a transparent investigation and demanded that federal agents leave the city.
The shooting came one day after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, in her car in Minneapolis. The incident, caught on video, sparked fierce backlash as protesters, as well as local and state officials, refuted the Trump administration’s description of the shooting.
Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it was forced to withdraw from an investigation into the deadly shooting after federal authorities withheld case materials and evidence. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the state doesn’t have jurisdiction.
Protests ramped up overnight with large demonstrations taking place in Portland, Minneapolis, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Arizona. The Portland Police Bureau said on Jan. 9 that six people were arrested during protests near an ICE facility. More demonstrations are expected over the weekend.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said the state’s Department of Justice is investigating the shooting in Portland involving a Border Patrol agent.
Rayfield said the investigation will probe whether “any federal officer acted outside the scope of their lawful authority.” Cases may be referred to the Multnomah County district attorney if evidence of criminal conduct is found, Rayfield added.
In Minneapolis, the state said it was forced to withdraw from an investigation after federal authorities blocked them from accessing evidence. State and local officials in Minnesota have pressed for an independent investigation into the ICE agent’s use of deadly force, raising concerns about the integrity of a federal probe.
Several criminal justice experts viewed the footage of the Minneapolis shooting, which the Trump administration described as self-defense and state officials called a reckless abuse of power.
Diane Goldstein, a former police lieutenant and executive director of the nonprofit Law Enforcement Action Partnership, described the agent’s tactics in Minneapolis as “horrible” and “aggressive.”
“Law enforcement policy should always be about using the least amount of force and preserving people’s lives,” Goldstein told USA TODAY. She added that the footage suggests “a lack of training and a lack of understanding of what other tactics are available to de-escalate these types of situations.”
Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina, said a full investigation is needed, but said the video appears to contradict the Trump administration’s description of the incident. “It clearly looks like she was driving away,” Alpert said. “She turned her wheel and looked like she was trying to escape.”
More: Was ICE agent’s use of force reckless? Experts analyze Minneapolis shooting.
In the aftermath of two shootings involving immigration agents, protesters on Thursday, Jan. 8, took to the streets to oppose the federal intervention.
A demonstration was held at an ICE facility in the South Portland neighborhood, which has been a consistent site for protests since last summer. The Portland Police Bureau said its officers arrested six people on suspicion of disorderly conduct and other charges.
In Minneapolis, thousands gathered for a second night of protests. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, but tensions occasionally flared, leading federal agents to use pepper spray and tear gas.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared Jan. 9 a “Day of Unity” to honor Good. The governor asked Minnesotans and people across the country to observe a moment of silence at 10 a.m. to remember Good.
“Now is a time to mourn together, in peace, unity, and service. People across Minnesota will peacefully stand up for shared American values,” Walz said in the proclamation.
The proclamation encouraged neighbors, families, and community members to “care for one another in our time of grief.” It also called on churches and faith organizations to open their doors, for community members to support local businesses, and Minnesotans to participate in acts of service for their communities.
“This is a moment for us to use our collective voice to stand for decency and democracy,” Walz said.
Oregon state Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, D-Portland, echoed calls against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“We do not need you,” Jama said during a news conference on Thursday evening. “You’re not welcome here and you need to get the hell out of our community.”
Jama’s message came after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey gave fiery comments at a news conference after the fatal shooting of Good by immigration agents. State and local officials have demanded that federal authorities conduct a full and transparent investigation into the shooting.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has called on ICE to halt all operations in the city until an investigation is completed.
“We know what the federal government says happened here,” Wilson said at the news conference. “There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past.”
The shooting in Portland is just the latest involving federal agents carrying out Trump’s immigration enforcement around the country.
On Jan. 7, Good was fatally shot by immigration agents in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good “weaponized” her SUV to run over agents in an act of “domestic terrorism.” Local officials, citing video of the incident, vehemently disputed Noem’s account and called for the officer involved to be arrested.
In Maryland on Dec. 24, two people were wounded during an immigration enforcement action when the driver of the vehicle attempted to run over federal agents, according to federal officials. Agents at the scene shot the driver, and he crashed the vehicle. The passenger was wounded in the crash.
Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old Mexican immigrant, was shot and killed by federal agents outside Chicago on Sept. 12. Homeland Security officials said the man resisted arrest and dragged an agent with his car. Video evidence from the scene shows the agent describing his wounds as “nothing major.” Villegas-Gonzalez’s lawyer and others have called for a full investigation into the shooting.
— Michael Loria
The immigration officer involved in this week’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis is the same officer who was injured in June 2025 in another vehicle incident. He was identified in court documents as Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Jonathan Ross.
Officials declined to independently name Ross, but said he had at least 10 years of experience as an ICE officer and served on the agency’s Special Response Team. Vice President JD Vance noted at the White House that this week’s shooting incident echoed the agent’s previous case that put him in the hospital.
“That very ICE officer nearly had his life ended, dragged by a car six months ago with 30 stitches in his leg, so he’s a little sensitive about being rammed by an automobile,” Vance said at the White House on Jan. 8. The vice president did not directly name Ross at the briefing. Read more here.
— Nick Penzenstadler
