The US Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, has confirmed that the immigration enforcement officer who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis will be subject to an internal review. Good, a mother of three, was killed in her car earlier this month. The officer has been identified as Jonathan Ross.
Noem said the officer had been placed on three standard days of administrative leave following the shooting, and that the investigation was following the same process as always under ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. President Donald Trump and administration allies have defended Ross, arguing his life was in danger and that Good had “weaponised” her vehicle. Some Democratic lawmakers have described her killing as murder and called for prosecution.
The FBI is not investigating the shooting, according to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has said there is no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation. A group of federal prosecutors resigned from the Minnesota office over pressure to investigate Good's partner. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension withdrew from the federal probe, claiming it lacked “complete access” to evidence. Noem has insisted Minnesota officials have no jurisdiction. Separately, the Hennepin County Attorney's office is gathering evidence.
The killing has sparked ongoing protests, with thousands of immigration enforcement agents deployed to Minnesota in response. Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey have criticised the administration for excluding state authorities and for the heavy federal presence. Noem hit back at Walz, who had claimed Ross was the only one not under investigation, saying she would not take advice from him. Walz and Frey reportedly face a Justice Department investigation into alleged obstruction of federal immigration efforts.
The condition of the officer also drew attention after DHS claimed Ross sustained “internal bleeding” on 7 January. When an interviewer referred to him by name, Noem admonished her, saying law enforcement should not be “doxed” amid an 8,000 per cent rise in death threats. However, a NewsNation report cited senior administration officials saying Noem was originally responsible for releasing key details about Ross's background that led to his identification. The Independent has contacted DHS and ICE for comment.
