The Small Business Administration, led by Kelly Loeffler, announced plans to relocate its Minneapolis district office, citing "overwhelming local hostility" toward ICE following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Macklin Good during an encounter with an ICE officer. New video shared by the White House and a DHS statement defended the officer's actions, while Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called for a thorough investigation. Protests have erupted across Minneapolis, with at least 30 people detained during demonstrations. The SBA did not say whether the relocation would be permanent.
SBA Says It Will Relocate Minneapolis Office, Citing 'Overwhelming Local Hostility' Toward ICE After Fatal Shooting
Loeffler says SBA will relocate Minneapolis district office amid ‘local hostility’ toward ICE
Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced Saturday that the agency will relocate its Minneapolis district office, citing what she described as "overwhelming local hostility" toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Posting on the social platform X, Loeffler wrote: "Since Day One, I have been clear that SBA will not continue to surge resources to communities that refuse to protect their small business owners by impeding this Administration's efforts to deport and detain criminal illegal aliens. We will relocate our offices to cities that comply with federal law — and take seriously their responsibility to promote public safety on Main Street." It was not immediately clear whether the relocation would be permanent.
The announcement followed heightened tensions in Minneapolis after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good, who was shot while seated in her car during an encounter with an ICE officer. The incident has prompted intense local protests and national scrutiny.
Senior Trump administration officials and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have defended the officer, saying new video footage obtained by Alpha News and shared by the White House appears to show the officer's perspective and suggests Macklin Good attempted to use her vehicle as a weapon.
"This footage corroborates what [DHS] has stated all along — that this individual was impeding law enforcement and weaponized her vehicle in an attempt to kill or cause bodily harm to federal law enforcement," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "The officer was in fear of his own life, the lives of his fellow officers and acted in self-defense."
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) urged a thorough and independent inquiry, saying the apparent use of force raises serious questions. Ellison told NPR that Macklin Good appeared to be trying to leave the scene and did not act aggressively, and that an investigation must determine whether any charges are warranted.
Large protests erupted across Minneapolis and in other locations. Minneapolis police reported that at least 30 people were detained during demonstrations the previous night, though officials said arrests and detentions were ongoing as tensions continued.
Loeffler's move is the latest in her public criticism of Minnesota officials: in late December she announced the SBA would halt annual grants to the state amid an investigation into alleged fraud in COVID-era lending programs.
The incident and the SBA's relocation announcement have deepened partisan divisions over federal law enforcement tactics and local accountability. Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and officials have not provided a timetable for the SBA's move or confirmed whether it will be permanent.
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