In a tense standoff amid a heavy winter snowstorm, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot a local mother in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, sparking outrage and calls for accountability in the city’s immigrant community.
The incident unfolded near the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue around 8 a.m. on January 7, when ICE agents conducting targeted arrests as part of an ongoing immigration enforcement operation found their vehicles immobilized by deep snowdrifts. According to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a crowd began to gather, escalating the situation into a confrontation.
Officials identified the victim as 42-year-old Aisha Good, a mother of three and longtime resident of the Powderhorn neighborhood. DHS spokesperson Maria Gonzalez said in a press release that Good, who was not the primary target of the raid, approached the scene in her SUV. “After repeatedly ignoring verbal commands to stop and back away, Ms. Good accelerated her vehicle directly toward an ICE officer, placing him in immediate fear for his life,” Gonzalez stated. The agent fired multiple shots in self-defense, striking Good. Her vehicle then veered off the road and crashed into a nearby snowbank. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene from gunshot wounds.
Eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media paint a more chaotic picture. Some clips show agents shouting commands amid the swirling snow, while others capture the sound of gunfire and screams from bystanders. “It was pandemonium—people were yelling, cars were stuck, and then shots rang out,” said Jamal Thompson, a local resident who filmed part of the encounter on his phone. However, the videos offer conflicting perspectives, with no clear consensus on whether Good’s actions constituted a direct threat. Notably, ICE has not yet released body camera footage from the agents involved, citing an active investigation by the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility and local authorities.
Minneapolis, designated as a sanctuary city, has long been a flashpoint for tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local policies aimed at protecting undocumented residents. Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the operation in a statement Wednesday afternoon, calling it “an unnecessary escalation that has torn apart a family and deepened distrust in our community.” Frey urged federal officials to halt such raids in the city, emphasizing that “Minneapolis stands with our immigrant neighbors, and we will not tolerate actions that endanger lives without justification.”
In response, DHS officials defended the agents’ actions, pointing to a broader trend of increasing assaults on federal officers. “Our personnel face heightened risks in the line of duty, with assaults up 25% over the past year,” Gonzalez added. “This operation was targeted at individuals with outstanding warrants, and we remain committed to upholding immigration laws while the incident is thoroughly reviewed.”
Good’s family, represented by civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, has demanded an independent probe and the immediate release of all available footage. “Aisha was a devoted mother, a community volunteer, and she deserved better than to die in the snow over a federal overreach,” Armstrong said at a vigil held Wednesday evening outside City Hall. Protests are already forming, with community groups like the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee planning demonstrations for the coming days.
The Minneapolis Police Department, which assisted in the aftermath but was not involved in the raid, confirmed it is cooperating with federal investigators. No charges have been filed against the ICE agent, whose identity remains undisclosed for safety reasons.
This developing story comes amid a national debate over immigration enforcement tactics under the current administration, with critics arguing that such operations disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. DHS has vowed to continue its efforts in the region, even as probes into the shooting proceed.
Authorities encourage anyone with additional information or video to contact the DHS tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. This article will be updated as more details emerge.
