Minneapolis Ice Death: Neighbors Helping Neighbors After Renee Good’s Passing
- The ICE vehicles stopped at the observer's home and then kept going, and so the observers decided to continue following the vehicles.
- much of the country was not paying attention to Minnesota before Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent last week.
- There was an immigration enforcement surge starting in December, so that was when patrols really started ramping up.But even before that, people were organized in rapid response networks...
When Renee good was shot by an ICE officer last week in Minnesota, it brought attention to the robust effort to combat US immigration and customs Enforcement in the Twin Cities. Residents of Minneapolis and the surrounding areas are joining decentralized networks of activists who are committed to alerting their neighbors to ICE presence on their blocks.
Madison mcvan, a reporter for the Minnesota Reformer, rode along with some of those activists to observe their tactics. The activists patrol their neighborhoods looking for ICE officers. When they find them, they alert their networks and tail the officers so their neighbors know where ICE is in the city. these patrols have led to tense standoffs with ICE officers and have drawn accusations of “domestic terrorism” from the Trump administration.
McVan spoke with Today, Explained co-host Noel King about what she experienced while riding along with activists and how these networks sprang up in the first place. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
There’s much more in the full podcast. So listen to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.
You’ve been riding along with Minneapolis residents who are tailing ICE as a form of resistance.What’s that been like?
It’s been intense. The idea is that if residents follow ICE and record them, that they can possibly prevent arrest from taking place at all.
The ICE vehicles stopped at the observer’s home and then kept going, and so the observers decided to continue following the vehicles. Two of the vehicles in the convoys split up and the observers decided to follow the third ICE car.As they were following that third ICE car, agents circled back to the observer’s house that they had just stopped in front of and went and banged on the door.The observer’s wife was home. She was terrified and she pretended she wasn’t home,and neighbors started coming out of their houses. Once they realized ICE was next door, [they started] blowing whistles, some people stopped and honked horns, and eventually the agents left.
much of the country was not paying attention to Minnesota before Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent last week. Was this going on before that?
There was an immigration enforcement surge starting in December, so that was when patrols really started ramping up.But even before that, people were organized in rapid response networks and starting when Trump took over for his second term.
The idea behind the rapid response networks was that if we see an ICE action taking place, we can notify a bunch of people in the neighborhood, and the neighbors can respond to film ICE to inform people of their rights and to protest. But with this big surge in ICE agents arriving, they’ve kind of changed tactics. it seems like now the ICE agents are traveling in smaller groups; they’re conducting arrests quickly. They’re really trying to get in and out before people have time to respond en masse and start protesting. That’s why the rapid response networks have shifted more towards a proactive approach, following ICE agents in hopes of preventing raids or arrests before they even happen.
The Trump administration has suggested that the people doing this are organized activists who have, I don’t know, possibly mendacious goals. Tell me about them, though. Who are these people? How did they get organized?
Well, I think this is where it’s relevant to mention that Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd less than a mile from where an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good.So this neighborhood has been organized before. They’ve mobilized en masse against police brutality before. So
protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been a recurring feature in Minneapolis, with residents taking direct action when encountering ICE activity. The role of individuals like Renee Good within these protests remains partially unclear,but reflects a broader pattern of community response.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the principal investigative and enforcement arm of the U.S.department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE was established in 2003 and is responsible for enforcing federal laws governing immigration.
ICE’s activities include identifying,arresting,and removing individuals who are in the United States unlawfully,as well as combating transnational criminal organizations that exploit the immigration system. Its enforcement actions have frequently been the subject of public protest.
In fiscal year 2023, ICE removed 142,286 noncitizens. ICE FY23 removals
Minneapolis Protests Against ICE
Minneapolis has a history of active resistance to ICE enforcement actions, frequently enough involving direct intervention by community members. These protests are frequently decentralized and spontaneous, arising in response to observed ICE activity.
these actions have included attempts to obstruct ICE vehicles, document ICE activity, and provide legal support to those targeted by ICE. The protests are often motivated by concerns about family separation, due process, and the broader impact of ICE policies on immigrant communities.
In July 2019, protests erupted in minneapolis after ICE agents attempted to arrest a man, leading to a standoff and multiple arrests. Star Tribune Report on 2019 Protest
Renee Good and Community Involvement
Renee Good’s specific role in organized protests against ICE is not definitively established in publicly available information. However, reports indicate she has been involved in direct actions taken by Minneapolis residents when encountering ICE.
The source material suggests Good’s actions are indicative of a broader trend: a collective decision by many Minneapolis residents to actively respond to ICE presence in ways they deem appropriate. This response is characterized by a lack of centralized coordination and a focus on immediate, localized action.
As of January 15, 2026, there have been no further official reports detailing Good’s involvement in organized protests, but community-led resistance to ICE activity continues to be documented in Minneapolis. Twin Cities Report on Minneapolis ICE Resolution