Post by : Meena Ariff

A US immigration enforcement officer shot and killed a 37-year-old American woman, Renee Nicole Good, on the streets of Minneapolis on Wednesday. The incident has sparked widespread protests and outrage among local leaders who strongly rejected White House claims that labeled her a domestic terrorist.

According to reports, Good was shot at close range after she appeared to try to drive away from immigration agents who had surrounded her vehicle, saying it was blocking their path. Video footage shows a masked ICE agent firing three shots into Good’s Honda SUV. The vehicle then lost control and crashed into parked cars, while shocked bystanders yelled at the federal officers. Good’s bloodied body was later seen inside the wrecked vehicle.

The Trump administration quickly claimed Good had attempted to harm agents, a statement Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed as false and called for ICE to leave the city immediately.

Thousands of protesters braved the cold to march through Minneapolis streets, holding signs demanding ICE’s removal. ICE agents have been leading aggressive deportation efforts under the Trump administration, despite local opposition.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, recently launched a campaign to recruit 10,000 new officers to expand the current force of 6,000. Critics worry that these new agents are not properly trained. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called the shooting a tragedy but described it as an act of “domestic terrorism,” alleging Good had been interfering with ICE operations all day and had “weaponized her vehicle.”

The shooting took place amid ongoing protests against immigration enforcement in south Minneapolis. DHS claimed that Good tried to run over an ICE officer, who then fired in self-defense.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized the federal government’s response, calling it propaganda and promising a full and speedy investigation into the case.

Eyewitness Brandon Hewitt said he heard three gunshots and recorded officers carrying Good’s body to an ambulance. Another witness described a gruesome scene where a man claiming to be a doctor tried to assist Good but was blocked by officers. A passenger who survived the crash reportedly exited the car covered in blood.

Protests against ICE have grown passionate in response to the Trump administration’s pledge to arrest and deport millions of undocumented immigrants. DHS blamed violent incidents on the ongoing attacks and demonization of its officers.

The ICE officer involved had been assaulted by protesters earlier this year, according to DHS officials.

Good’s mother said her daughter was likely scared and insisted she was not trying to challenge the ICE agents.

President Trump has prioritized cracking down on illegal immigration during his second term, increasing deportations and tightening visa policies. ICE, which many accuse of becoming paramilitary under Trump, has been tasked with unprecedented numbers of deportations.

At the time of the shooting, federal authorities had deployed about 2,000 officers in Minneapolis for immigration enforcement sweeps. This incident echoes a similar case last September when an ICE officer shot an undocumented immigrant in Chicago who allegedly tried to evade arrest by driving into an officer.

#Global News