Federal criminal charges are now looking 'increasingly unlikely' for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who fatally shot unarmed mother Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, according to a new report.
Investigation Focus and Political Defence
Sources familiar with the case told the New York Times they doubt charges will result from ongoing federal investigations, though they cautioned this could change. The report, published on Monday 12 January 2026, indicates investigators are probing possible links between the 37-year-old victim and activist groups protesting Trump administration immigration policy.
The shooting occurred during a surge of ICE activity in the city. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Good had been 'stalking' officers in her Honda Pilot and attempted to run them over, calling it an 'act of domestic terrorism'. Senator JD Vance stated on Friday 9 January that the agent's 'life was endangered and he fired in self-defense', later suggesting at a White House briefing she tried to ram the agent.
Trump on Sunday 11 January described Good and her wife Becca as 'professional agitators', endorsing claims she was part of a left-wing network inciting violence against ICE.
Family's Plea and Community Outcry
Good's family released a statement on Monday seeking justice and accountability, while urging against 'hateful rhetoric'. Her former mother-in-law, Charlene Fletcher, told The Guardian: 'It feels deeply wrong that Renee died in this way.' Her sister-in-law, Jessica Fletcher, said the family had deliberately avoided highlighting widespread protests to avoid pouring 'more gasoline on the fire'.
Michelle Gross, president of Community United Against Police Brutality, said Good was a volunteer in a neighbourhood patrol network that tracked and recorded ICE operations. 'That's what she was doing,' Gross told Reuters, when confronted and shot by agent Jonathan Ross.
Mounting Pressure and Official Response
The case has sparked sustained protests and sharp political division. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota called it 'unacceptable' for Trump, Vance, and Noem to make definitive claims before the investigation concludes.
Good's mother, Donna Ganger, firmly denied her daughter was involved with groups challenging ICE agents. With investigations still formally open but charges appearing distant, the family's statement concluded by hoping the tragedy inspires 'accountability, compassion, and meaningful change'.
