South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has sparked outrage after her comments on the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross last weekend. Before any formal investigation took place, Noem labeled Good a “domestic terrorist,” claiming she “attempted to run [agents] over and rammed them with her vehicle.” Video footage from the scene, widely shared on social media, contradicts these claims.
On CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Noem continued to defend the shooting while criticizing Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. She accused them of “politicizing” the incident and inflaming public outrage. “They’ve encouraged the kind of destruction and violence we’ve seen in Minneapolis these last several days,” she said, reiterating her description of Good as a domestic terrorist and accusing her of obstructing law enforcement operations.
Noem told Minnesota leaders to “grow up” and act responsibly, framing their statements as attacks on law enforcement credibility. Shortly after the shooting, she was joined by Vice President JD Vance and former President Donald Trump in defending Ross, labeling the victim as a threat to immigration officers and justifying the killing. In Congress, Republican members of the House Oversight Committee blocked a motion to subpoena the DHS for records and footage related to the shooting.
Noem has also restricted the investigation to the FBI under Kash Patel, preventing state authorities from reviewing case materials, despite claims that Ross acted legally. Public outcry has grown following the incident, with protests demanding ICE reform, accountability for Ross and Noem, and increased federal oversight.
Democratic lawmakers are pushing for new legislation to limit ICE enforcement and protect residents from aggressive immigration actions. New Jersey state Senator Britnee Timberlake, sponsor of a bill to restrict cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration agents, emphasized the human cost, referencing Good’s death: “Anyone who is an ancestor of a Holocaust survivor will tell you, this is how it starts…just ask the children of the 37-year-old woman from Minnesota.”
Chicago Democratic Representative Delia Ramirez called for Noem’s impeachment, describing her as dangerous and unfit for office. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned federal officials’ portrayal of the killing as “garbage” and criticized the deployment of over 2,000 officers to the Twin Cities. “They’re ripping families apart, sowing chaos, and in this case, literally killing people,” Frey said, directly challenging the claim that the shooting was self-defense.
The incident has sparked a nationwide debate over immigration enforcement, law enforcement accountability, and the role of federal authorities in local communities, fueling calls for significant reform and oversight.
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