The fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration agent in Minnesota has sharpened scrutiny of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement carries out arrests and enforcement operations—especially in residential neighborhoods.
Good, 37, was shot and killed in Minneapolis on January 7. The incident has since sparked competing accounts over what happened in the moments before gunfire erupted, and whether deadly force was warranted.
Court records identify the ICE agent allegedly involved as Jonathan E. Ross, a Minnesota resident and a 10-year veteran of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division who also served on the agency’s Special Response Team, according to several reports.
As more information has surfaced, former federal officials and law enforcement experts have offered sharply different views of the encounter—views that reflect a broader national argument over enforcement tactics, training standards, and accountability.
A Defense of the Shooting
One former ICE official argued the shooting was justified, describing Good’s vehicle as an imminent threat.
“She takes the vehicle, lunges the vehicle, drives through after they stopped her. And she dies because they defend themselves, and people want to know whether or not it’s justified. Yes, it’s justified, it is absolutely justified,” the former ICE official, who requested anonymity to speak freely about a sensitive case, told Newsweek.
Questions Over Whether Deadly Force Was a Last Resort
Other voices have challenged that characterization, pointing to Department of Homeland Security guidance that treats deadly force as a last resort and stresses that it must be reasonable under the circumstances.
“The officer’s actions do not comport with DHS guidance on use of force, and the administration’s narrative doesn’t align with witness statements and concurrent video of the tragedy,” Harun Ahmed, a former DHS official, told Newsweek.
Concerns About Training and Rapid Hiring
John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE during the Obama administration, raised concerns about internal practices—particularly as the federal government expands recruitment.
The administration has launched an aggressive nationwide push to recruit thousands of new ICE agents. Critics warn the pace could weaken training, oversight, and accountability.
“My immediate concern is this: to what extent has this rushing of hiring of people–this shortcutting on our training–to what extent might that have informed what happened here,” Sandweg told CNN.
What Video and Reporting Suggest Happened
According to reporting and video analysis, the encounter unfolded when ICE agents conducting an enforcement operation came upon Good’s SUV stopped on a residential street in Minneapolis.
Footage shows several agents approaching the vehicle on foot and ordering Good to exit. Moments later, the SUV moves—first slightly backward, then forward at an angle—with agents positioned close to the vehicle.
An agent then fires multiple shots. The SUV continues forward briefly before crashing into parked cars. Afterward, agents secure the scene as bystanders attempt to help, including at least one medically trained person who was reportedly told to step back.
Federal officials later described the shooting as self-defense, saying the agent perceived the moving vehicle as an imminent threat. Critics and independent video reviews have questioned whether the SUV was moving toward agents or away from them—an issue that has become central to the dispute over whether deadly force was justified.
“Tactically, you usually never approach a vehicle from the front, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t,” the former official said.
“By the looks of it all, from a lot of other law enforcement professionals, it’s definitely going to be deemed a justified shooting. There’s no doubt about that. She used her vehicle as a weapon,” the former official added.
“Comply With Commands,” Use-of-Force Expert Says
Use-of-force expert Peter Johnson said cases like this often turn on what happens when officers issue commands—and what civilians do next.
“When law enforcement approaches your vehicle, tells you to stop (or) get out of the vehicle, that is the point where you follow the lawful commands of law enforcement, whether that’s federal agents or local police department,” Johnson told CBS News.
“The danger is when we as a society craft a narrative around, ‘It’s up to me to decide when I comply with law enforcement.’ We have a judicial system specifically in place if the agent or officer was wrong for the traffic stop, any traffic stop. That is where the fight takes place, not on the road.”
Calls for Caution as Investigations Continue
The shooting triggered protests nationwide, with activists calling for ICE to leave Minnesota. Former ICE agent Kyle Milowski urged people to avoid reaching conclusions before the investigation is complete.
“First and foremost, this is a tragic event, and I want to extend my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Renee Nicole Good,” Milowski told Newsweek. “It is inappropriate to judge an officer’s actions during a dynamic and rapidly changing situation in hindsight through the lens of social media videos.”
“Officers are trained to position themselves in front of a vehicle to create a ‘contact and cover’ environment, referred to as a tactical ‘L-shape,’ used to maintain control of a scene,” he said.
“I have full confidence in the ICE Director, who is very competent and will ensure the agency conducts a thorough, transparent investigation into how these actions align with DHS guidelines,” he added.
DHS Policy: De-escalation First, Deadly Force as a Last Option
Department of Homeland Security policy states officers may use force only when it is “reasonable in light of the totality of the circumstances” and necessary—while prioritizing de-escalation and non-force alternatives when feasible.
“Law enforcement Officers (LEOs) may use force only when no reasonably effective, safe, and feasible alternative appears to exist and may use only the level of force that is objectively reasonable in light of the facts and circumstances confronting the LEO at the time force is applied,” the policy reads.
It also restricts firing at drivers of moving vehicles unless deadly force is justified under the policy’s standards.
“DHS LEOs are prohibited from discharging firearms at the operator of a moving vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance unless the use of deadly force against the operator is justified under the standards articulated elsewhere in this policy,” the policy reads.
Why This Case Is Drawing National Attention
The incident lands amid intensified debate over ICE tactics and the agency’s role in communities—particularly when operations take place in neighborhoods where civilians may be nearby.
Supporters of ICE argue agents often face unpredictable threats and must make split-second decisions. Critics counter that aggressive tactics can heighten the risk of deadly outcomes and disproportionately impact immigrant communities.
As investigations continue, the outcome may hinge on a narrow set of facts: the vehicle’s path and speed, agents’ positioning, the timing of commands, and whether reasonable alternatives existed before shots were fired.
