Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has launched a fierce defence of his use of explicit language in the wake of a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this week, while directly challenging statements from the Trump administration.
Mayor's Fiery Defence and Disputed Injury Claims
The controversy stems from the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a poet and mother of three, who was shot dead behind the wheel of her car during an altercation with ICE agents on Wednesday. At a press conference on Friday, 9 January 2026, Mayor Frey was unapologetic about his previous profane remarks directed at federal agents.
"I dropped an F-bomb... They killed somebody. Which one of those is more inflammatory? I'm going with the killing somebody," Frey stated bluntly to reporters. He had earlier told ICE agents to "get the f*** out" of the city, labelling their actions a "reckless abuse of power."
Frey also vehemently disputed claims from Vice President JD Vance and the Trump administration that the ICE agent involved, Jonathan Ross, had been seriously injured. "The ICE agent walked away with a hip injury that he might as well have gotten from closing a refrigerator door with his hips. He was not injured," Frey asserted. "No, he was not run over. He walked out of there with a hop in his step."
Nationwide Protests and 'Absolute Immunity' Row
The shooting has ignited significant public outrage, leading to protests against ICE in multiple US cities on Thursday evening. Demonstrators gathered in Austin, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, and New York to express their anger over Good's death.
Tensions were further heightened by a separate incident in Portland, Oregon, where Border Patrol agents shot and wounded two people during a vehicle stop on Thursday afternoon.
The political clash deepened over the legal concept of immunity for federal officers. Vice President Vance had stated that Agent Ross was "protected by absolute immunity" as he was "doing his job." Mayor Frey dismissed this notion as "pretty bizarre" and "extremely concerning," emphasising his demand for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to be included in the investigation to ensure transparency.
Local Authority Exclusion and Safety Concerns
Mayor Frey accused federal authorities of shutting local officials out of the investigation, stating that Minneapolis authorities simply want to "be at the table." He argued that ICE's presence is making the city less safe. "Our city is safe. Our city is welcoming. They are making it less so," he told reporters.
In a stark statistic, Frey revealed that the killing of Renee Good was the city's second gun death of the year, meaning actions by federal immigration enforcement have inadvertently accounted for half of Minneapolis's shootings in 2026 so far. He was joined by state lawmakers making emotional appeals for justice for the slain mother.
The acting ICE director, Todd Lyons, added to the contentious debate during a Newsmax interview, suggesting that trying to "escape law enforcement custody" in a car constitutes a "deadly force situation" and an act of "domestic terrorism."
