President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz intensified their ongoing political feud after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7. This incident sparked protests and a growing dispute over who oversees the investigation.
Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have called for an independent review and more state access to evidence. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has defended ICE agent Jonathan E. Ross and criticized Minnesota officials. The feud heated up previously based on the fraud allegations linked to the state’s social safety net programs.
Federal and state officials have given very different accounts of the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security claims the agent acted in self-defense, stating that Good “drove toward” the agent. However, Minnesota officials dispute this claim, going by the bystander video that shows Good’s vehicle appearing to turn away when she was shot.
The disagreement worsened when Minnesota officials said federal investigators restricted their access to evidence. In a statement, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans mentioned that the BCA initially planned a joint investigation with the FBI.
However, they decided to conduct their own investigation after the federal government refused to share all evidence and reports. Evans said the BCA would be open to a full investigation if federal authorities returned to a joint approach or agreed to share evidence held by FBI investigators.
“We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, you’ve done enough.”
MN Gov. Tim Walz speaks on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis.https://t.co/1WTdDA587H pic.twitter.com/ddxElTrsUs
— MS NOW (@MSNOWNews) January 7, 2026
Frey has become one of the administration’s strongest critics following the shooting. He dismissed federal claims that the shooting was justified, calling the administration’s narrative “bull—-.” He also stated that federal immigration authorities should “get the f— out of Minneapolis,” according to The Washington Post. Frey further expressed his views in an opinion essay for The New York Times, criticizing the administration’s response to the incident.
In response, the Trump administration has increased federal operations in Minnesota and warned officials against language it believes may stir tensions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that DHS would deploy hundreds more federal officers to Minnesota starting on Sunday and Monday. She described this as the department’s largest-ever operation, adding that the new personnel would support approximately 2,000 federal officers already in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Noem emphasized that federal officials seek cooperation from Minnesota leaders and local law enforcement. “We’re hoping the mayor will work with us to remove these criminal elements, especially gang members and terrorist organizations, from New York City,” Noem said this week during a separate dispute. In Minnesota, she defended the immigration operation and stated that the investigation should continue.
The shooting has fueled a wave of protests with mass demonstrations in Minneapolis and over 1,000 planned rallies nationwide condemning the administration’s deportation agenda and Good’s death. A GoFundMe for Good raised over $1.5 million with a goal of $50,000.
The White House and DHS have pointed to fraud investigations in Minnesota in recent months. The administration has cited fraud allegations related to the state’s safety net programs and mentioned that Good had been filmed protesting ICE earlier that day, although Reuters noted that footage had not been released.
Walz, often a target of Trump’s criticisms, has called out the administration’s communications regarding the shooting. He has demanded a review independent of federal agencies involved in the operation. Minnesota officials have stated they want full access to evidence, including video and investigative reports, as both state and federal reviews progress.
