Mayor Jacob Frey says tens of thousands of protesters in Minneapolis have remained peaceful after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good during an encounter with an ICE officer. He criticized what he called an excessive federal deployment — about 3,000 ICE and border agents in a city with roughly 600 police officers — and described some federal tactics as "unconstitutional." Federal officials have defended the agent's actions as self-defense, while several Democrats dispute that account. Minnesota has filed a lawsuit challenging the recent surge in federal immigration operations.
Minneapolis Mayor Says Large Protests Remain Peaceful After Fatal ICE Shooting, Calls Tactics 'Unconstitutional'
Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a press conference at City Hall on January 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told Fox & Friends that large demonstrations across the city have remained peaceful following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good during an encounter with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
Mayor Describes Widespread, Peaceful Protests
"We have had, perhaps tens of thousands of people peacefully protesting in the street," Frey said in an interview set to air Wednesday. "And at the same time, yeah, they are going to stand up for their neighbors."
A crashed car at the scene where an ICE agent shot Renee Good.
What Happened
Good was shot and killed during an interaction with an ICE officer last Wednesday. The incident has prompted large demonstrations in Minneapolis and protests in other cities across the country. Local leaders, including Mayor Frey, have criticized the officer's conduct and called for accountability.
Conflicting Reactions From Officials
Federal officials and members of the Trump administration have defended the agent, saying he acted in self-defense and describing actions by Good before the shooting as "an act of domestic terrorism." Several Democrats and community leaders have disputed that account and questioned the use of force.
Renee Nicole Good moments before she was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis.
"I do not support abolishing ICE," Frey said. "However, I absolutely oppose the way that this administration is conducting themselves with us."
Concerns About Federal Presence
Frey stressed that while ICE activity is not new to Minneapolis, the current deployment of federal personnel is unusually large for a city of Minneapolis's size. "Right now, there are about 3,000 federal ICE agents in our city between ICE and border control," he said, noting the city has roughly 600 police officers. He warned that the disparity creates additional stress and operational strain for local authorities.
Legal Pushback
Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the federal government challenging the recent surge in immigration-enforcement operations. Frey called some of the tactics "unconstitutional conduct" and blamed the Biden or Trump administration (article notes the Trump administration) for pursuing aggressive enforcement methods that he says differ from past practice.
The mayor urged transparency and accountability as investigations continue and encouraged residents to remain peaceful while demanding justice. Tune in to Fox & Friends for Mayor Frey's full interview.
Help us improve.
