Minnesota ICE Shooting Sparks Protests, Government Pushback

Minneapolis, Minnesota —(Map)

Tensions are running high in Minneapolis, Minnesota and other cities across the US following the killing of a woman by an ICE agent. Many people have called the killing a “murder”. The US government has defended the ICE agent and has sent even more agents to the city.

In the US, removing illegal immigrants is usually the job of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under Mr. Trump’s government, ICE has been making large, public efforts to find and arrest illegal immigrants. Above, ICE agents knock on a door during an operation in Chicago, Illinois last year.

Under Mr. Trump’s government, ICE has been making large, public efforts to find and arrest illegal immigrants. ICE has sent thousands of officers to large cities to look for people in the country illegally. So far, these cities have all been led by Democrats. In some cases, Mr. Trump has called in the military to support ICE agents.

Some of those arrested by ICE have been US citizens or have been in the US legally. Many people have reported ICE agents targeting people based on their looks or accents. There are also many reports of violence by ICE agents.

Some of those arrested by ICE have been US citizens. Many people have reported ICE agents targeting people based on their looks or accents. There are also many reports of violence by ICE agents. Above, US agents break a car window and stop a woman who was driving in Minneapolis last Tuesday.

These activities have upset many people and led to large protests. Polls show that most Americans don’t approve of ICE. In response to ICE’s actions, some people in the targeted cities have begun following ICE agents as they travel around. These people often blow whistles to warn others that ICE is nearby, and use their phones to record the actions of the agents.

In December and January, ICE sent two thousand agents to Minneapolis and the nearby city of Saint Paul.

On January 7, 37-year-old Renee Good stopped near an ICE operation. Ms. Good, a US citizen and the mother of three children, had parked her car so that it partly blocked the street.

ICE agent Jonathan Ross walked around her car, then stood near its front. Other government agents came toward the car demanding that Ms. Good get out. Instead, she backed up the car, turned the wheel, and began to drive away. As she did so, Mr. Ross pulled out his gun and shot Ms. Good three times, killing her.

The killing has shocked and upset people across the US, leading to large protests. Minnesota’s governor and the mayor of Minneapolis strongly criticized ICE’s actions. Minnesota’s Attorney General has sued the US government to try to get ICE agents out of the state.

Mr. Trump and the US government supported Mr. Ross, claiming that Ms. Good was trying to run him down. It’s hard to determine exactly what happened, but Mr. Ross was not knocked down. Most videos show Ms. Good steering away from Mr. Ross as she drove away.

The US says it won’t investigate Mr. Ross for shooting Ms. Good. In response to the protests, the government sent even more agents to Minnesota. Mr. Trump has said he may even send in the military.

Until recently, it was extremely uncommon for the US government to send large numbers of masked, heavily armed agents to cities and states that don’t want this sort of support. It’s also highly unusual for government agents to be given the freedom to act with such violence.

The current ICE actions are focused on Minnesota, but the situation is causing serious worries for people across the country.

---

Did You Know…?
The US Department of Justice has opened investigations into members of local governments, including Minnesota’s governor and attorney general, and Minneapolis’s mayor.

Note: This article discusses sad and upsetting events. If this news brings up worrying thoughts for you, you should talk about those worries with a parent, teacher, or other adult you trust.