Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be “reformed, not abolished,” arguing the agency still plays a role in the country even as scrutiny intensifies after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in her home state.
In an interview on CNN’s Inside Politics Sunday with host Manu Raju, Smith—who plans to retire at the end of her current term—suggested she may withhold support for key funding legislation unless the Department of Homeland Security makes meaningful changes to how ICE operates.
“It is hard for me to imagine how I could vote to support a budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security, given how the Department of Homeland Security is functioning right now in my community,” Smith said. “I want to see work done that would bring some serious reforms to ICE.”
Her comments come as DHS carries out what it describes as its largest immigration enforcement operation ever in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. They also follow the release of a new YouGov poll showing 52% of Americans disapprove of how ICE is handling its job.
Why it matters
Smith’s approach lands between two competing forces inside the Democratic Party: pressure from progressives demanding tougher limits—or even abolition—of ICE, and a broader push within the party to show support for border security and enforcement. Her openness to voting against DHS funding could also complicate already-tense budget talks as lawmakers work to avoid a government shutdown deadline at the end of the month.
What to know
The controversy centers on Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Good, a 37-year-old mother, activist, and poet, during an ICE operation in south Minneapolis. Federal authorities say ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot Good in self-defense after she allegedly “weaponized” her vehicle. An eyewitness, however, told MPR News that Good posed “no threat” to officers.
Tensions escalated further after federal authorities blocked state investigators from participating in the probe. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Minnesota “doesn’t have jurisdiction in this investigation.” The FBI is leading the investigation internally—an arrangement that has drawn criticism from Smith and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who have argued that federal officials appeared to announce conclusions about the incident before outside oversight could occur.
Smith left open the possibility of aligning with Democratic colleagues who want budget negotiations to include strict “red line” conditions on ICE. While emphasizing that she supports border security, she said the agency’s conduct has crossed a line.
“Clearly, I see a role in our country for strong border security, but we need to get serious about what is actually happening with this unaccountable agency that is not abiding by any of the laws or the procedures that we would expect to see from professional law enforcement,” Smith said.
Enforcement activity continued through the weekend in Minneapolis neighborhoods. Protesters confronted federal agents by blowing car horns and whistles and banging drums. The Associated Press reported that several people were hit with chemical spray before agents broke down the door of one home and took a person away in handcuffs.
What people are saying
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said: “We’ve been warning for weeks that the Trump administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety, that someone was going to get hurt. What we’re seeing is the consequences of governance designed to generate fear, headlines and conflict.”
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X: “The gaslighting is off the charts and I’m having none of it. This guy was doing his job. She tried to stop him from doing his job.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar wrote on X: “We will never accept that a single federal agent can be judge, jury, and executioner in our streets. ICE needs to get out of Minneapolis.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I have just watched the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructive and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense.”
He added: “The reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis.”
Border czar Tom Homan said Saturday: “If you don’t like the laws, take it up with Congress.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a press conference after Good’s death: “ICE, get the f*** out of Minneapolis!”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously told Newsweek: “We aren’t going anywhere. While these sanctuary politicians refuse to protect Americans, DHS law enforcement will. We have removed thousands of murderers, scores of rapists, pedophiles, known and suspected terrorists, gang members and other public safety threats out of America’s communities.”
What happens next
The FBI investigation into Good’s death is expected to continue as Minnesota officials press for state involvement. Meanwhile, federal immigration enforcement operations are expected to remain active in the Twin Cities as part of the administration’s broader strategy, with protests likely to continue.
