Recent events concerning President Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have caused heavy backlash, particularly from Minnesota officials and citizens.
The beginning of the controversy was the shooting of Renée Good, a Minnesota citizen, during an encounter with ICE officers. While driving, ICE officers confronted Good, and an altercation ensued, resulting in her death from gunshot wounds.
The circumstances of her death are heavily debated, with supporters of each side citing different causes for the gunshot. Regardless of the reason, the ICE agent shot and killed Good. The shooting caused an uproar from both social media and political media, with the mayor of Minneapolis even ordering ICE to “Get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
As protests sprouted across the city of nearly 300,000 people, another incident occurred. An ICE officer shot another man in the leg about a week later, with multiple other similar incidents occurring around the same time. These tragedies, while important, did not garner as much awareness on social media as Good’s shooting.
“I knew about the Renée Good shooting and the protests,” says PPCHS senior Justin Ruiz. “However, if I’m completely honest, I didn’t know there were any other shootings.”
Following these tragic events, numerous different protests and memorials were held across the country for the victims of ICE shootings, particularly for Good. In Arizona, The Boycott, an LGBTQ+ bar, held a vigil for Good on Jan. 15. Multiple candles were placed near a memorial for Good, and family members spoke about her life.
“I think it’s nice that people are exercising their First Amendment right,” adds PPCHS senior Steve Jacob. “I don’t want to pick sides, but it’s nice to know that protests can actually happen.” Other movements also occurred in the area, with more protests asking for a full investigation into her death. This revealed a split, with many democratic politicians condemning the shooter and ICE, while Republicans stood with the agents.
Another prominent protest happened in Tucson, where a rally gathered, and people tried to push back against ICE. The protesters believe that the officer was not acting in self-defense and that ICE is disturbing the community.
The growing divide among both political parties is becoming more evident with each passing day. ICE may continue on this path and divide them even further, or the parties may find a solution. Only time will tell what either side decides to do.
