‘So brazen:’ Democrats Condemn the Reinstatement of ICE Agent Who Killed a Minnesota Protester
Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who was responsible for the death of 37-year-old Minnesota protester Renee Good, has been reinstated for work. Ross reportedly moved to a different state and was allowed to resume work by the federal government.
In viral footage, Good was seen driving away from ICE agents. She participated in an ICE protest and was later confronted by agents. ICE agents told Good to get out of her car, but she chose to drive away in the opposite direction instead. After cussing at Good, Ross opened fire on her. She was shot on the head multiple times. Although a doctor was reportedly on scene, other agents did not allow the man to check on Good.
Democrats respond to the reinstatement of ICE agent
AOC said about Ross’ reinstatement, “I think it is so brazen. It’s intentional. You have an ICE agent who killed a woman in cold blood. But the fact that the agency has reinstated him is a direct message from the administration about the impunity they feel. And it is only a reminder as to why Democrats should not buckle and continue to not give ICE or CBP a dime, because this is exactly what they do.”
AOC also added that she could “only hope” for the safety of those who would encounter Ross in the future.
Rep. Ilhan Omar also shared her thoughts. “It’s really, really heartbreaking that we can’t get accountability and justice for the murder of Renee Good. I do hope that something shifts and that we are able to get accountability for them,” Omar said.
But it wouldn’t be enough to stop the same incident from happening all over again, nor is it going to hold Ross accountable. Nicole Good’s death is a case of unresolved state-enforced violence. There are simple steps that could be done to increase accountability—for one, on-duty ICE agents could be required to have no mask on.
If they’re willing to do something reprehensible to other Americans, they should do it without hiding behind masks.
Doubts about a fair investigation
Good’s death fueled further protests in Minnesota against ICE. Ross would later be suspended from work. Initially, Good’s case was supposed to be jointly investigated by Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, this did not push through, and the FBI took sole responsibility for the investigation.
“Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses, and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demand,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. He alleged that the federal authorities denied the BCA access to case materials. Gov. Tim Walz, at the time, expressed that a fair outcome may be difficult to achieve without local authorities involved.
The conjecture is not without merit. Trump officials have been notably supportive of ICE and antagonistic to protesters who’ve been subjected to violence by the agents. Even with video footage, Trump officials smeared her death. Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Good’s attempt to flee “an act of domestic terrorism.”
She accused Good of using her car to run Ross over—a claim that appears to be bought by Trump supporters. Multiple videos of the incident, however, showed that Good was driving away from the ICE agents.
Even in death, Good’s case has been the subject of conspiracies from the right. Social media has amplified misleading claims about Good intentionally hitting Ross with her car, and some have even suggested that her death is just a “staged” incident. These are just online rumors, of course. But failing to hold Ross accountable has only strengthened these opinions against the deceased.
(featured image: Mark Stebnicki)
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