President Donald Trump stated this week that ICE officers “are going to make mistakes sometimes.” This marks a change in tone after the administration initially did not apologize following the Jan. 7 killing of Renée Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Trump raised the issue during a lengthy White House briefing. He said, “They’re going to make mistakes sometimes. ICE is going to be too rough with somebody, or, you know, they’re dealing with rough people, they’re going to make a mistake sometimes. It can happen. We feel terribly.”
Trump referred to Good’s death as “a tragedy” and expressed hope that her father would continue to support him, according to NBC Washington’s report of his remarks.
These comments came as Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Minnesota on Thursday, announced that the administration would take disciplinary action against ICE officers “when justified” for excessive force or improper arrests. He also defended the agents who work in what he referred to as tough conditions.
Vance blamed state and local officials for the “chaos” in Minneapolis. He argued that limited cooperation with federal agents pushed ICE into more visible street operations.
The administration’s new language followed several polls showing public disapproval of ICE tactics since the shooting in Minneapolis. A YouGov survey found that a majority of Americans considered ICE’s methods too forceful. An Ipsos poll indicated that more Americans viewed the shooting as excessive rather than necessary.
😳😳😳 President Trump on the ICE killing of Renee Good:
ICE is gonna be too rough with somebody.
They’re gonna make a mistake sometimes.
I felt horribly when I was told the young woman had the tragedy. But when I learned her father is—I hope he still is, but I don’t… pic.twitter.com/w5xhE6BNRx
— World Watcher (@World__Watcher_) January 20, 2026
In the days after Good’s death, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the shooting as self-defense. She described the incident as an “act of domestic terrorism,” a statement that faced criticism from civil liberties advocates and some legal analysts.
Initially, Trump supported his administration’s account of the encounter. Reuters reported that Vance reiterated this week that Good drove her vehicle into the officer, a claim Minnesota Democratic leaders disputed, stating it remains under investigation.
Federal officials have paired the softer references to “mistakes” with ongoing support for the broader operation in Minnesota. The Trump administration has deployed thousands of federal agents to the Twin Cities area. This has led to frequent confrontations with protesters and criticism from local leaders, who argue that the federal presence has harmed public safety and community trust.
In a separate Tuesday briefing in Minnesota, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino defended the enforcement increase and criticized local officials. Federal authorities stated they would continue certain crowd-control measures against what they describe as violent agitators.
Trump’s acknowledgment that ICE “can happen” to make mistakes did not reveal any new information about whether the administration is reviewing the shooting of Good or changing agency policy. He did not provide details on specific disciplinary actions.
Vance also did not specify particular cases where agents would face discipline, although he mentioned that the administration would act when accountability is needed.
The White House and DHS have continued to present the Minnesota operation as focused on public safety and immigration enforcement priorities. Protests and legal threats have grown as the crackdown continues.
