The killing of Renée Nicole Good by an ICE officer, followed by misogynistic slurs, political slander, and AI-generated abuse, exposes the lethal consequences of expansive enforcement and detainment tactics.
A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer is once again at the centre of a national outcry. Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old decorated poet, a mother of three and US citizen, was fatally shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident, which occurred on the morning of January 7, 2026, has now been documented on publicly released bystander and bodycam footage.
According to the videos, masked ICE officers, including Agent Jonathan Ross, approached Renée’s parked SUV. Minneapolis officials have stated that Renée was not a target for arrest and was instead observing the scene of ICE activity to assist and support her community.
In Ross’ body cam, Renée appears calm in the driver’s seat, telling him, “That’s fine, dude, I’m not mad at you.” ICE agents demanded that she exit her vehicle, grabbing the door handle. As Renée began reversing before driving forward slowly, appearing to attempt to re-enter traffic, Ross fired three shots into the front of the vehicle and the driver’s side window as Renée passed him. It is unclear whether the car made any contact with Ross at all. Renée was killed instantly, in front of her wife, Rebecca Good, and onlookers. Ross has been placed on administrative leave, with Vice President Vance claiming that he will be guaranteed absolute immunity.
Ironically, the killing occurred only around one mile from where George Floyd was murdered in 2020, emphasising a pattern of violent encounters involving enforcement personnel that continues to fuel demands for accountability and public debate.
There are a few details in this case, including the verbal and digital abuse documented after Renée’s death, that are intrinsically associated with her female identity.
First, in the newly released footage, someone at the scene, presumably Ross or another ICE officer, is heard calling Renée a derogatory, explicit name, “F***ing b****”, after she was shot with her car crashing further ahead. This language, used in the immediate aftermath of her murder, reveals a pervasive culture of dehumanisation that frames women as irrational and spiteful.
Secondly, before the release of the bodycam, Donald Trump and his administration described Renée as a “professional agitator” whose actions reflected a “domestic terror attack”. Video evidence contradicts this, with the Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, calling this description “bulls**t”. This characterisation demonstrates a distinct narrative perpetuating gendered stereotypes, where Good’s actions are described as inherently problematic and dramatic.
Furthermore, in an equally disturbing and recurrent theme of digital violation, Elon Musk’s AI tool, Grok, was reportedly used to generate explicit images of Renée, depicting her with a bullet wound, within hours of her death. This represents a new lens of misogynistic violence, transforming a victim of federal brutality into a target for posthumous abuse.
In light of Renée’s murder and defamation, activists have gathered nationwide through vigils and protests, criticising the mass deployment of ICE agents. Renée is not the first woman or bystander to be killed during an ICE raid or enforcement action. The incident has intensified long-standing criticisms from officials and advocates who argue that the enforcement regime has been operating with immunity and views civilians, especially minorities, as collateral.
Renée Nicole Good and the profound suffering of her wife, her children, and her community are a direct consequence of expansive incarceration efforts and subsequent enforcement tactics.
Image Source: BBC
Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Reuters
News article by The View