Walz, Omar Respond to ICE Shooting With Anger At Federal Agents
Prominent Democrats erupted in outrage Wednesday after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, even as the Department of Homeland Security warned that the incident was “the direct consequence of constant attacks and demonization of our officers by sanctuary politicians.”
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Gov. Tim Walz, both Democrats, were among the first to condemn federal authorities following reports of an ICE officer-involved shooting in Minneapolis’ Central neighborhood. DHS, however, stated that the shooting occurred after an agent’s life was threatened during an enforcement operation.
In a statement posted on X, Walz—who is facing a growing wave of fraud accusations from federal officials tied to programs overseen by his administration—dismissed the federal government’s account outright.
“I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine. The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice,” Walz wrote in response to a DHS post.
Omar echoed that hostility toward federal law enforcement, calling for ICE to abandon the city altogether.
“ICE must stop terrorizing our communities and leave our city,” she said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey quickly followed suit, issuing a profane demand that agents immediately withdraw from Minneapolis.
“I have a message for ICE. To ICE: Get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” Frey said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. “We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite.
“People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart. Long-term Minneapolis residents that have contributed so greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy are being terrorized. Now, somebody is dead. That’s on you, and it’s also on you to leave. It’s on you to make sure that further damage, further loss of life and injury is not done,” he further claimed.
Under President Donald J. Trump’s second-term administration, the Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly warned that violence against federal agents has surged as sanctuary jurisdictions and Democratic officials openly vilify immigration enforcement. Democrats and immigration activists argue that immigrants, regardless of legal status, are entitled to humane treatment and that protesters have a right to express their views peacefully, Newsweek reported.
What remains undisputed, however, is that it is illegal to impede or obstruct federal agents in the performance of their duties—a point the Trump administration has emphasized, noting that it applies directly to immigration officers carrying out removal operations of individuals in the country illegally.
At the time Omar, Walz, and Frey made their initial statements, authorities had not yet confirmed whether the shooting was fatal. Video footage circulating online appears to show a woman—later identified as Nicole Good—revving the engine of her SUV as ICE agents approached and ordered her to exit the vehicle after she blocked their path on a Minneapolis street.
The video appears to show the SUV striking an ICE agent, who then discharged his weapon into the vehicle, killing her.
Despite that footage, Walz appeared to suggest that criminal charges against the federal agent could be forthcoming. In a follow-up post on X, he wrote: “My public safety team is working to gather information on an ICE related shooting this morning. We will share information as we learn more. In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm.”
Frey likewise urged residents to keep protests peaceful, even as he inflamed tensions with his earlier remarks.
“If you’re angry, I get it. I am too. If you’re feeling that kind of despair, it’s understandable. Let’s show them who we can be. Let’s show up with peace to march to protest, to hug one another. To love all the way with peace. Do not give them what they want,” he said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara later told reporters that, to his knowledge, the woman who was killed was not a target of immigration enforcement. He said officers arrived to find her suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to Newsweek.
O’Hara added that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the deadly use of force.
As the investigation unfolds, Republicans argue the tragedy underscores the real-world consequences of months of anti-ICE rhetoric from Democratic leaders—language they say has emboldened resistance, escalated confrontations, and put federal officers and the public at risk.