Two prominent Minnesota Democrats are demanding state authorities be included in the investigation into a fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, arguing the Trump administration cannot conduct an unbiased probe after already defending the agent's actions.
Political Leaders Challenge Federal Control
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and U.S. Senator Tina Smith both stated in separate interviews on Sunday, January 12, 2026, that the investigation into the killing of Renee Good should not be overseen solely by the federal government. The shooting occurred on Wednesday, January 8, when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot Good in her car.
Senator Smith questioned the objectivity of a federal-led investigation during an appearance on ABC's "This Week." "How can we trust the federal government to do an objective, unbiased investigation, without prejudice, when at the beginning of that investigation they have already announced exactly what they saw — what they think happened," Smith said.
The Trump administration has publicly defended the officer, stating he acted in self-defense against a driver who "weaponized" their vehicle.
A Clash of Rhetoric and Conclusions
The conflict intensified over the weekend as federal and local officials traded blame. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in a CNN interview on Sunday, dismissed complaints from Minnesota officials about being excluded from the investigation. "We do work with locals when they work with us," she said, criticizing Mayor Frey for not assisting ICE operations.
Mayor Frey, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," stood by his assessment of video evidence from the incident. "Let's have the investigation in the hands of someone that isn't biased," Frey said, asserting the footage shows "a federal agent recklessly abusing power that ended up in somebody's dying."
The dispute is further complicated by the FBI taking control of the investigation over the objections of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
National Protests and a Major Enforcement Operation
The killing of Renee Good, along with a separate shooting of two people by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, triggered dozens of protests across the United States over the weekend. Thousands of people marched in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The protests coincided with what the Department of Homeland Security described as its largest-ever immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities. This significant deployment has heightened tensions between community members and federal authorities.
The situation remains volatile as calls for transparency and an impartial investigation grow louder, pitting state and local leaders against the federal government's narrative and control of the case.
