Americans Turn Against ICE After Minneapolis Shootings

Two shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis within a week have triggered a dramatic shift in how Americans view the agency, with new polling showing a majority now believes ICE is making cities less safe and that the agents' use of force was unjustified.

The first incident occurred on January 7 when ICE agent Jonathan Ross, 43, fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during a targeted enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. Just days later, on January 15, another ICE agent shot a Venezuelan migrant named Julio Cesar Sosa Celis in the leg during an arrest attempt. The back-to-back incidents have intensified tensions in the city and shifted the national conversation about ICE's role in American communities.

Background

ICE has maintained a significant presence in Minneapolis as part of immigration enforcement efforts. The agency's operations have become increasingly visible and controversial in recent years, with local leaders expressing concern about the impact on immigrant communities and public safety.

The January 7 shooting that killed Good occurred when Ross was embedded with federal agents conducting what the agency described as a targeted crackdown in south Minneapolis. According to law enforcement accounts, Good was shot after a vehicle encounter during the operation. The incident drew immediate criticism from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who called the agent's actions reckless and demanded ICE leave the city.

"ICE — Get the f*** out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated purpose for being in this City is to create some kind of safety, but you are doing exactly the opposite." – Mayor Jacob Frey

Just nine days later, the second shooting involving ICE agents reignited anger in Minneapolis. According to Department of Homeland Security accounts, Sosa Celis fled from federal officers, crashed into a parked car, and resisted arrest. The agency says two other men then attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle, prompting the agent to fire in what DHS described as self-defense.

Key Details

The First Shooting

Agent Ross had been involved in a previous violent encounter with a suspect. In June 2025, Ross was injured when he was dragged by a vehicle during an arrest in Bloomington. The suspect, Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, accelerated with the agent partially inside the car, dragging him about 300 feet before the force knocked Ross free. The agent required 20 stitches on his right arm and 13 stitches on his left hand.

When the January 7 shooting occurred, DHS officials emphasized that Ross was an experienced officer with more than 10 years at ICE and had been selected for the agency's Special Response Team. Officials said he was an expert marksman and had acted according to his training.

However, five use-of-force experts interviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune questioned whether shooting at a moving vehicle was appropriate. Some called it a "bad shooting," while others acknowledged the agent may have feared for his safety but noted that most police departments discourage firing at moving vehicles because bullets are unlikely to stop a car and could endanger bystanders.

Public Response and Polling

Polls conducted in the days following the shootings show a sharp reversal in public opinion about ICE. A CBS News poll found that more Americans now say ICE is being too tough, while a Quinnipiac poll showed a majority of voters believe the fatal shooting of Good was unjustified and inappropriate.

The shift in opinion has created political complications for Republicans, according to analysis from major news outlets. Even as Vice President JD Vance defended the agent's actions, saying the officer had nearly lost his life in the earlier car-dragging incident, public sentiment continued to move against the agency.

Minneapolis city officials have taken a hard line in response. Mayor Frey has demanded accountability and justice, saying the federal government is responsible not only for the immediate harm but also for the broader impact of ICE operations on immigrant communities in the city.

Legal and Institutional Responses

A federal judge has moved to limit ICE's crowd control tactics following the January 7 shooting, signaling judicial concern about the agency's operations in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has launched an investigation into the fatal shooting.

The second shooting and subsequent reports of federal agents being attacked have also drawn attention from federal law enforcement. The FBI issued a $100,000 reward for information about stolen government property related to the incidents.

What This Means

The two shootings have created a rare moment of public consensus against ICE. Polling data suggests that concerns about the agency's tactics and effectiveness are no longer limited to immigrant advocacy groups or progressive cities. The shift includes Republicans who feel protesters have gone too far, indicating that the debate is moving beyond traditional political lines.

For Minneapolis, the incidents have deepened the conflict between local and federal authorities. City leaders view ICE's presence as destabilizing, while federal officials argue the agency is conducting necessary enforcement operations. The judge's decision to limit crowd control tactics suggests the courts may intervene in this dispute.

Nationally, the shootings have raised questions about ICE's training, accountability, and whether the agency should operate in urban areas where encounters with civilians are more likely. The focus on whether shooting at moving vehicles is ever justified has also sparked broader conversation about use-of-force policies across federal law enforcement.

The political impact remains uncertain, but the polling data suggests that public support for aggressive immigration enforcement may be eroding even among voters who previously backed such policies.