‘Stupid and Dangerous’: Minneapolis Mayor Slams ICE After Detained Person’s Car Rolls Unattended

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis faced fresh criticism after agents detained a person and left that individual’s vehicle unattended, allowing it to roll down a busy city street. Mayor Jacob Frey called the incident "stupid" and said it was "not about safety," adding to growing local anger over a larger federal operation in the region.

In Minneapolis on Thursday, people marched to protest ICE after an agent killed Renee Nicole Good. / Stephen Maturen / Getty Images

What Happened

According to Mayor Frey, agents detained a person who had been in a car stopped in the middle of a major street. The vehicle was reportedly left out of park and rolled away with no one at the wheel, creating a clear traffic hazard. "This wasn’t a Waymo, this was a car that was rolling down the street that could have hit anybody," Frey said at a press conference.

An onlooker holds a sign that reads “Shame” as members of law enforcement attend the scene of Renee Nicole Good’s death at the hands of an ICE officer. / Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

DHS Response

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has defended its actions in Minneapolis, pointing to newly released footage that officials say supports their account of a separate, fatal shooting during the operation. In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the footage corroborates the department’s claim that the driver, identified in reports as Renee Nicole Goodon, "impeded law enforcement and weaponized her vehicle in an attempt to kill or cause bodily harm to federal law enforcement." DHS said the agent who fired did so in fear for his life and the lives of fellow officers.

The Honda SUV that belonged to shooting victim Renee Nicole Good, showing a bullet hole in the windshield. / Star Tribune via Getty Images

Footage And Allegations

News reports say the footage in question was recorded from the perspective of an ICE agent identified in coverage as Jonathan Ross. Those reports state the agent fired three shots through the windshield and side window of the SUV. The video reportedly shows the driver saying, "I’m not mad at you," and then attempting to drive away before shots were fired at close range. An expletive directed at the driver can be heard after the gunfire, though it is not clear who spoke.

Local Reaction And Wider Context

Mayor Frey and other critics have framed the operation as chaotic and dangerous. Frey warned that scattered tactics and what he described as a "buckshot approach" endanger long-standing community members and the neighborhoods the operation passes through. He urged residents to protest peacefully and said Minneapolis will not "counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own brand of chaos."

The raids came as more than 2,000 federal agents conducted immigration enforcement across the Twin Cities in what DHS called the "largest immigration operation ever." The operation followed a viral YouTube video by influencer Nick Shirley that alleged widespread welfare fraud by Somali immigrants—a claim critics say is largely fabricated. The campaign has sparked nationwide protests and intensified calls from Democrats and community leaders for oversight and accountability of federal agents.

What's Next

Debate is likely to continue. Critics are demanding investigations into the conduct of federal agents and more transparency about the use of force and operational tactics. Federal officials maintain their account and have pointed to released footage as evidence; local officials and many community advocates dispute that narrative and call for independent review and accountability.

Mayor Jacob Frey: "Somebody is going to get hurt. Somebody has gotten killed. That’s not the route how you do any of these exercises productively or safely."