Renee Good’s Former Father-In-Law Says ‘I Don’t Blame ICE’ For Tragedy
Renee Good’s ex-father-in-law is pushing back against efforts to place blame on federal immigration officers following her fatal shooting in Minneapolis last week, emphasizing personal responsibility, faith, and the chaotic climate surrounding the incident rather than faulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Timmy Macklin told CNN the shooting was “hard all around” and suggested that a series of “some bad choices” contributed to the tragic outcome. In his remarks, Macklin made clear he does not fault law enforcement or the individuals involved.
“I don’t blame ICE. I don’t blame [Good’s wife] Rebecca. I don’t blame Renee. I just wish that, you know, if we’re walking in the spirit of God, I don’t think she would have been there. That’s the way I look at it,” Macklin said during the interview on Tuesday.
Good was previously married to Macklin’s son, who died in 2023. The couple shared a six-year-old son. Despite the circumstances of her death, Macklin described Good in positive terms, calling her “an amazing person” and “a good mother” who was “full of life.”
Reflecting on the broader situation, Macklin pointed to moral decay and disorder as contributing factors, rather than law enforcement misconduct.
“I just think we make bad choices, and that’s the problem, there is so much chaos in the whole world today. We need to turn to God and walk in the spirit of God and let him lead us and guide us,” Macklin said.
When CNN anchor Erin Burnett pressed Macklin on whether he believed the shooting was justified, he reiterated that he “was not blaming anybody.”
Macklin also addressed a witness cellphone video he reviewed, which reportedly shows Good’s vehicle striking an ICE agent during the enforcement operation.
“You know, in a flash like that, it’s hard to say how you’d react,” he said, adding that he had heard the same agent may have previously been dragged by a vehicle in another incident.
Federal officials have maintained that the agent acted in self-defense. On Wednesday, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News that the ICE agent suffered internal bleeding to his torso after being struck by the car. Authorities have classified the incident as an act of domestic terrorism, a designation Democratic officials have strongly rejected as protests erupted across Minneapolis.
As tensions escalated, a federal judge declined to immediately intervene in ongoing immigration enforcement efforts. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez, a Biden appointee, refused Wednesday to grant an emergency request to halt intensified federal immigration operations in Minnesota, citing insufficient time to fully evaluate the legal arguments.
Menendez heard arguments in a lawsuit brought earlier this week by the State of Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, seeking to block ICE and other federal agencies from continuing statewide enforcement sweeps. Plaintiffs allege the operations involve warrantless arrests, excessive force, and violations of constitutional rights.
At the hearing, Menendez said the court could not issue a ruling immediately due to the complexity of the issues and the lack of clear precedent governing the scope of federal immigration authority under these circumstances.
The judge ordered the U.S. Justice Department to respond by Jan. 19, with state officials given until Jan. 22 to submit additional arguments. A ruling on the temporary restraining order is expected later this month.
“That should not be taken as a prejudgment of the merits of either the plaintiff’s case or the anticipated defense that may be raised by the United States,” Menendez said. “It is simply observing that these are grave and important matters and that they are somewhat frontier issues in constitutional law.”
Minnesota officials, including Attorney General Keith Ellison, argued federal agents have employed aggressive tactics that undermine public trust and put residents at risk. Federal attorneys countered that they were given limited time to respond and that the enforcement actions are lawful, constitutionally grounded, and necessary to uphold federal immigration statutes under President Donald J. Trump’s administration.
Legal experts have noted that there is limited federal court precedent restricting immigration agencies from carrying out their statutory and constitutional duties anywhere within the United States or its territories.
The lawsuit follows weeks of unrest in Minneapolis after the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good during an ICE operation, an incident that has been used by activists to justify protests and demands to curb federal enforcement authority.
Despite the legal challenge and political backlash, federal agencies have continued operations, making thousands of arrests statewide since December. For now, immigration sweeps will proceed as the court considers whether to impose restrictions or allow enforcement efforts to continue uninterrupted.