The Jan. 7 altercation between an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and a woman who was reportedly interfering with a federal investigation appears to be the culmination of months of vilification of ICE and dangerous encouragement from left-wing politicians to “fight” the department.
Left-wing activism stirring up outrage against ICE has vilified the organization and that appears to have contributed to a rise in violent crime against federal officers. Violence against ICE officers was up a disturbing 1,347 percent in 2025 according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). On top of the rise in violence against officers, activists are putting themselves in deadly circumstances by interfering with federal officers attempting to do their jobs.
Activist Renee Nicole Good — who was reportedly part of an anti-ICE activist group in Minneapolis — was shot and killed on Jan. 7 after accelerating her SUV while officer Jonathan Ross was in front of it, hitting Ross. The incident occurred after Good reportedly blocked traffic, deliberately attempting to impede the federal officers that were in Minneapolis investigating a fraud case.
According to sobering new statistics released by DHS Jan. 8, attacks against ICE officers have escalated significantly since President Donald Trump began delivering on his immigration promise to deport illegal aliens and secure the border. DHS reports 275 individual assaults on ICE officers between Jan. 20 – Dec. 31, 2025. During the same period in 2024, under Joe Biden’s seemingly dormant homeland security department, there were only 19 incidents against ICE officers. This is a disturbing 1,347 percent increase in assaults against officers.
In addition to a massive rise in assaults against officers, DHS reports a startling 3,200 percent increase in vehicular attacks. Between Jan. 21, 2025 – Jan. 7, 2026, a total of 66 separate vehicular attacks against ICE officers were reported, compared to two incidents in the previous year.
The officer involved in the shooting in Minneapolis, Jonathan Ross, was seriously injured in June 2025, while attempting to apprehend an illegal immigrant and sex offender. Convicted child sex offender Roberto Carlos attempted to flee law enforcement and struck Ross with his car, dragging Ross 300 feet. Ross suffered serious injuries including over 30 stitches.
In a response to the mainstream media’s blatant lack of transparency regarding the Minneapolis incident, Vice President J.D. Vance explained in a statement on Jan. 8 that ICE was in Minneapolis investigating a fraud ring that is allegedly defrauding American taxpayers, and Good was interfering with that investigation. “That woman was there to interfere with a legitimate law enforcement operation in the United States of America”, Vance stated. “That woman is part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to dox, to assault, and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their job.”
As President Donald Trump has begun delivering his promise to the American people to deport illegal criminals and secure the border, there has been immediate backlash from prominent Democrats and the formation of anti-ICE “activist” groups like the one Renee Nicole Good was reportedly involved in.
Some of the most incendiary rhetoric against ICE has come from Minnesota, where the tragic escalation resulted in Good’s death.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz referred to ICE as, “Trump’s modern-day gestapo”, at a University of Minnesota commencement address in May, 2025.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demanded that ICE, “get the f**k out of Minneapolis” in an address after Good’s passing.
However, Democrats from other regions have been equally incendiary with their anti-ICE rhetoric.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that Democrats would fight President Trump’s agenda, “legislatively and in the courts”, but he also added that leftists would be fighting President Trump’s agenda “in the streets”. The statement came shortly after President Trump was sworn into office.
Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said in July, 2025, it is “inspiring” when she sees activists encircle ICE officers in courtrooms, obstructing the ability of officers to do their jobs.
In September, 2025 the White House released a list of 30 prominent Democrats including mayors, members of Congress and governors making derogatory statements about ICE and at times calling for violence and obstruction.
These left-wing politicians, and the “activists” they rile up, pose a direct threat to ICE officers completing their jobs in the field, and they pose a serious threat to the safety of the American people by interfering with the ability of federal officers to find and remove dangerous criminals. DHS recently released a list of perpetrators the organization removed from Minnesota the weekend after Good was shot attempting to obstruct ICE’s activities. The list includes child abusers, drug traffickers and perpetrators of domestic violence, individuals anyone thinking rationally would be glad to have the federal government remove.
Manzanita Miller is the senior political analyst at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
