Jimmy Kimmel, a well-known late-night television host, took issue with President Donald Trump’s response to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis, Minnesota woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
The woman, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mom, was killed during an immigration enforcement operation. The incident, captured on video, prompted citywide protests, attracting the attention of local officials and national commentators.
President Trump, in his response, asserted that Good ran over the ICE officer, suggesting the shooting was in self-defense. The president portrayed Good as disorderly and resistant during the incident.
Kimmel, during his show, presented the story, highlighting Trump’s response. On analyzing the video, Kimmel shared with his audience that, contrary to Trump’s claim, it didn’t appear that anyone was run over. Instead, it seemed a scared woman tried to escape and was subsequently shot.
The fatal incident transpired during an ICE operation when the agent was recorded demanding that Good leave her Honda SUV. The agent fired three shots into the moving vehicle, one of which struck Good in the head.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey disputed the self-defense claim propagated by federal officials in a news conference. Kimmel echoed Frey’s sentiment, holding up a custom t-shirt reading “GET THE F*** OUT OF MPLS” to loud applause from his audience.
Kimmel also drew a contrast between the administration’s response to the Minneapolis shooting and its stance on Iran, where Sen. Lindsey Graham had recently warned Iranian leaders that Trump would “kill” them if they continued killing protesters.
The Trump administration, however, stood solidly behind the ICE agent. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the shooting, asserting the officer adhered to his training. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, suggested Good used her vehicle as a weapon against the law enforcement officers.
The Department of Homeland Security further described the occurrence as domestic terrorism, a characterization that has been questioned by civil rights advocates and local officials, considering the circumstances captured on video.
Good’s mother, Donna Ganger, identified her daughter after the shooting. Good, recognized in her community as a poet and mother of three, leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son, and a 6-year-old son whose father died in 2023. Her family has retained Romanucci & Blandin, the same Chicago-based law firm that represented George Floyd’s family, to conduct a civil investigation and seek accountability.
Other late-night television hosts have also commented on the incident. Stephen Colbert criticized the Department of Homeland Security for its hasty judgment, labeling the shooting as self-defense.
Chris Hayes opined that to many observers who viewed the video, the incident looked like “cold-blooded murder.”
Jesse Watters, a Fox News host, faced criticism for his remarks about Good during his show. Watters noted that Good had pronouns in her bio, a comment that drew immediate backlash on social media.
Watters’ comments were seen by critics as unsuitable and insensitive, considering Good’s tragic death. These remarks further highlighted the broader cultural and political rifts surrounding immigration enforcement and federal agents’ use of force.
The fatal incident, which occurred on January 7, 2026, has rekindled debates about ICE operations in cities, the use of force by federal agents, and the extent of immigration enforcement activities under the Trump administration. Minneapolis officials have questioned whether ICE operations in the city comply with department guidelines regarding discharging firearms at moving vehicles.
The video of the shooting has been viewed millions of times, raising concerns about the techniques used during the operation. Following the incident, protesters gathered in Minneapolis, demanding accountability and changes in immigration enforcement in residential areas.
This incident is among the most contentious in recent immigration enforcement history. It has brought attention to the circumstances that justify federal agents’ use of lethal force and whether existing training and protocols protect both officers and civilians during enforcement operations effectively.
As this case continues to attract national attention, the pressure mounts on local and federal authorities to provide a comprehensive account of the events that transpired in Minneapolis. The contrasting narratives between federal officials, who defended the shooting, and local authorities, who criticized it, have created a complicated legal and political situation that is likely to unfold in the coming weeks and months.