In response to the protests triggered by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, President Donald Trump announced a significant increase in federal enforcement presence in Minnesota. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is deploying approximately 800 Customs and Border Protection agents and 2,000 ICE officials to the state, marking what the DHS has described as the largest operation in its history. This announcement follows Trump's assertion that crime rates decrease when ICE operates in various cities, despite local opposition.

The protests, which have spread to cities including Los Angeles, Portland, and New York, were ignited by the incident involving Good, who DHS claims attempted to run over an officer with her vehicle. However, the circumstances surrounding the shooting are currently under federal investigation, and conflicting narratives have emerged. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has publicly criticized the Trump administration for promoting what he calls a "false narrative" about the incident, arguing that video evidence suggests Good was attempting to leave the scene rather than attack the officer.

On January 13, 2026, federal officers employed teargas and other crowd control measures against activists in Minneapolis, intensifying tensions in the area. Witnesses reported that teargas filled the streets near the site of Good's shooting, causing distress among local residents. In response to the federal actions, Minnesota, along with the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, has filed a lawsuit seeking to suspend the operation, claiming it violates constitutional protections.

The lawsuit reflects broader concerns about the implications of federal immigration enforcement in a state known for its progressive stance on immigration. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison characterized the influx of federal agents as a federal invasion, while Mayor Frey noted the significant disruption to daily life in the city. Local residents have engaged in grassroots efforts to monitor federal activities, often using whistles to alert the community of their presence.

In a related development, several federal prosecutors in Minnesota and Washington, D.C., resigned in protest of the Justice Department's decision not to pursue a civil rights investigation into Good's death. The DHS has reported over 2,000 arrests in Minnesota since early December and has indicated that it will continue its operations despite ongoing legal challenges. Additionally, two Democratic lawmakers from Massachusetts have proposed legislation aimed at facilitating civil lawsuits against federal officers accused of civil rights violations, although the bill's prospects in the Republican-controlled Congress remain uncertain. Wisconsin's lieutenant governor has also suggested a ban on civil immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as courthouses and schools, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and enforcement practices.