A fatal shooting involving a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis has sparked a nationwide political firestorm. The incident, which left 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good dead, has divided the country, with the Trump administration and its supporters fiercely defending the agent, while local leaders and community members demand accountability. Meanwhile, the hashtag #IStandWithICE has gone viral on social media.
The ‘IStandWithICE’ trend
As outrage against ICE grew, the Department of Homeland Security and Rapid Response 47, a White House X account, posted pro-ICE messages online. Rapid Response 47 shared an “I STAND WITH ICE” graphic at 2:34 pm ET, followed by an all-caps tweet from Homeland Security saying “STAND WITH ICE.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 7, 2026
Minutes after the hashtag started trending, reactions were divided. Supporters backed by Trump and DHS defended the agent’s actions, saying the driver “weaponised” her car and threatened officers, framing the shooting as a justified act of law enforcement protecting themselves. “Renée Nicole Good death is tragic, but she chose poorly. I stand with ICE,” one person wrote on X. “I stand with the ICE agent who acted in self-defense in Minneapolis,” another commented.
On the other hand, critics, including local officials, civil rights advocates, and some members of the public, have used the hashtag sarcastically, mocking it to protest the killing. Pointing out that the victim was a US citizen, they argue the shooting was “reckless and unnecessary.” Moreover, according to critics, videos do not support the “domestic terrorism” claim that the DHS levelled against Good. “No, I do not stand with ICE. They murder US Citizens,” one commentator wrote on X. “Trump is defending the ICE agent who murdered a 37 year old American woman in broad daylight today. A disgustingly dishonest description of what happened but I’m not surprised. What a piece of shit,” another commented.
White House: ‘Domestic terrorism’
President Trump called the incident an attack on federal officers. Posting on Truth Social, he described Good as “obviously a professional agitator” and said she violently ran over the ICE officer, who “seems to have shot her in self-defence.” Trump emphasised the danger faced by ICE agents and praised their actions as protecting the community.
“The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defence,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also defended the agent, labelling the act as “domestic terrorism” and saying he acted to protect himself and colleagues. The White House and DHS posted slogans like “I STAND WITH ICE” on social media, promoting the pro-ICE narrative nationwide.
“It was an act of domestic terrorism. What happened was our ICE officers were out on an enforcement action. They got stuck in the snow because of the adverse weather that is in Minneapolis. They were attempting to push out their vehicle and a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle,” Noem said during a press briefing.
Local leaders push back
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the shooting, calling the federal self-defence claims “garbage” and demanding ICE leave the city immediately. Governor Tim Walz urged residents not to trust what he called a federal “propaganda machine,” criticising the administration for declaring the case closed before investigating.
“I am aware of a shooting involving an ICE agent at 34th Street & Portland. The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities,” Mayor Jacob Frey said.
“To Americans, I ask you this. Please stand with Minneapolis. To Minnesotans, know that our administration is going to stop at nothing to seek accountability and justice,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference after the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer in south Minneapolis. “And from here on, I have a very simple message. We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, you’ve done enough,” Walz added.
State Representative Leigh Finke described Good as a beloved community member “stripped away from her family,” while her mother called her daughter “one of the kindest people I’ve ever known”, loving, forgiving, and compassionate.
Protests and vigils
Thousands of people across the US are protesting and holding vigils. In Minneapolis, mourners gathered at a roadside memorial with candles, flowers, and hymns. Activists in Los Angeles, Chicago, and other cities have expressed support for Good’s family, demanding accountability from ICE and DHS, and urging volunteers to continue defending immigrant neighbours.
According to NBC, a protest in Lower Manhattan drew around 400 people outside an ICE office, with local politicians warning attendees to be alert to federal actions. Community members described the shooting as predictable, given the aggressive federal crackdown in Minnesota, especially targeting Somali Americans under the Trump administration’s second-term deportation agenda.
Conflicting accounts
Federal officials claim Good tried to hit the officer; local officials and videos suggest she was moving cautiously, and the officer was to the side. These differences have fueled a heated debate over whether the shooting was justified or reckless.
Witness Connor Janeksela, who spoke to NBC, described seeing one agent try to open Good’s door, while another stepped in front and shouted “Stop!” before firing three shots within seconds.
Both the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have launched investigations into the shooting. They will examine the circumstances, use of force, and ICE tactics during the operation.