The killing of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis sparked protests nationwide Wednesday, including a rally at Boston Common.
NBC News reports 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot Wednesday by one of several ICE agents conducting an immigration enforcement operation. Authorities said Good allegedly blocked the street with her SUV, leading to a confrontation that escalated within seconds and ended with gunfire.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city is demanding accountability.
“We, collectively, are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice,” Frey said. “What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust.”
The Department of Homeland Security defended the agents’ actions, claiming Good used her vehicle as a weapon. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as “an act of domestic terrorism.”
She added, “a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle.”
Political commentator Sue O’Connell talks about what the Minneapolis shooting in which an ICE agent killed a woman.
Protesters expressed shock and outrage, with some saying the killing is reminiscent of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in Minneapolis nearly 6 years ago.
“It’s our job to stand against this and say, ‘No, we don’t stand for this,'” said Kojo Acheampong, an activist with the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Immigrant advocacy organizations say they have long feared that aggressive enforcement tactics could result in deadly outcomes.
“We have feared that without appropriate checks and constraints on the agency, that there have been more violent incidents,” said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the MIRA Coalition.
Sweet acknowledged the risks protesters face, adding, “sometimes you need to think about, ‘Where are appropriate places to be speaking up and protesting and ensuring that we are following all the rules?'”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a warning to the Trump administration after ICE agents fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis. “We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: you’ve done enough.”
Retired Newton Police Chief John Carmichael urged patience as investigators review the incident.
“This is an awful tragedy, a situation that probably could have and should have been avoided,” Carmichael said.
He also cautioned against rushing to judgment.
“We have to allow law enforcement to do their job, and again, if we don’t like that, society doesn’t like that, then we take the correct avenues to change that,” he said.
Noem said the ICE agent who fired the shot was allegedly struck by the vehicle and was treated and released from a hospital.
In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey called ICE’s tactics “dangerous,” while Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called for an end to the “mass deployment of ICE agents into American cities” and urged the federal government to restore accountability.
More anti-ICE rallies are expected to take place across the Bay State in the coming days.
Oscar Margain
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