Don't Take the Bait: Minneapolis ICE Shooting Protests 2026 Spark Federal-State Clash

They're shaking hands, but fists remain clenched behind their backs. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a stern warning to protesters on Saturday, urging them not to play into President Donald Trump's hands following the fatal shooting of a local volunteer by a federal agent.

Minneapolis ICE Shooting Protests 2026: A City on the Edge

The tension exploded after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot 37-year-oldRenee Nicole Good on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Good was a known volunteer who monitored ICE operations. In response, protesters flooded the streets, leading to 29 arrests and approximately $6,000 in property damage at a local hotel believed to be housing federal agents.

"We will not counter Donald Trump's chaos with our own brand of chaos," Frey told reporters. He criticized the federal presence as a catalyst for the unrest, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended its deployment of 2,000 officers as its "largest operation ever."

Political Fallout and National Protests

The conflict isn't just on the streets; it's reached the halls of Congress. U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison were barred from entering an ICE detention site on Saturday. Representative Craig called the denial a violation of federal law, emphasizing the need for humanitarian oversight.

Meanwhile, the ACLU and other advocacy groups have organized over 1,000 events nationwide under the banner "ICE Out For Good." These rallies demand an end to the massive federal deployments that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described as "governance by reality TV."