Father Of ICE Agent Involved In Minn. Shooting Defends His Son
The father of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis is speaking out, expressing concern for his son’s well-being while firmly defending his actions as justified and lawful.
The agent, identified as Jonathan Ross, is a 43-year-old ICE officer and Iraq War veteran who has spent nearly two decades in federal law enforcement, including service with the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Ross has previously survived a near-fatal incident on the job, having been dragged nearly 100 yards by a vehicle during a separate enforcement action last year, an ordeal that left him seriously injured and requiring dozens of stitches.
Ross’s father, Ed Ross, described his son as a man of strong faith and character, emphasizing his family life and personal values. He noted that his son is a conservative Christian, a devoted husband and father, and is married to a Filipina woman.
“She hit him,” Ed said in an interview with the Daily Mail, referring to Good. “He also had an officer whose arm was in the car. He will not be charged with anything.”
Ed Ross went on to describe his son as “a committed, conservative Christian, a tremendous father, a tremendous husband,” adding, “You would never find a nicer, kinder person […] I couldn’t be more proud [sic] of him.”
Federal authorities allege that Good attempted to use her SUV to strike federal agents during a Jan. 7 immigration enforcement operation in south Minneapolis, prompting Ross to fire the shots that killed her. The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have both stated that Ross acted in self-defense, a conclusion echoed by the White House. Videos circulating on social media appear to corroborate the Department of Homeland Security’s account of the encounter.
Despite those findings, the shooting ignited protests and intense political backlash, with local officials and activists criticizing federal immigration enforcement and questioning the use of lethal force. An FBI investigation into the incident remains ongoing, though legal experts have indicated that criminal charges against Ross are unlikely.
President Donald J. Trump publicly praised Ross following the shooting, stating that the agent acted in self-defense after being struck by the protester’s vehicle. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also defended Ross, calling his actions justified and labeling Good a domestic terrorist.
Noem’s remarks sparked a heated exchange with CNN anchor Jake Tapper during an interview last week. Tapper challenged statements Noem made at a post-shooting press conference, where she said Good attempted to “weaponize her vehicle” against federal officers.
During the interview, Tapper suggested Noem had drawn conclusions before a formal investigation had begun.
“Well, everything that I‘ve said has been proven to be factual and the truth,” Noem responded. “This administration wants to operate in transparency. I have the responsibility as the secretary of Homeland Security to know this information as soon as possible.
“I had just been in Minneapolis the day before, had already had conversations with officers on the ground and supervisors, and knew the facts and decided that the department and the people of this country deserve to know the truth about the situation of what had unfolded in Minneapolis,” she continued.
Tapper pushed back, summarizing her initial remarks.
“With all due respect, Secretary, the first thing you said was, ‘what happened was our ICE officers were out in an enforcement action. They got stuck in the snow because of the adverse weather that is in Minneapolis. They were attempting to push out their vehicle and a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle,’” Tapper said. “That‘s not what happened. We all saw what happened.”
“It absolutely is what happened,” Noem shot back, later adding that Tapper does not get to “change facts” to fit a predetermined narrative.
As investigations continue, the administration has maintained that Ross acted lawfully and in defense of himself and fellow officers, while critics continue to use the incident to challenge federal immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second term.