Minneapolis: Protests erupted across Minneapolis after a woman was fatally shot by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a federal enforcement operation on January 7, intensifying debate over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in major American cities.

The victim was identified by her family as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good. She was shot in a snow-covered residential neighbourhood south of downtown Minneapolis, close to long-standing immigrant communities and roughly 1.6 kilometres from the site where George Floyd was killed in 2020. The incident has reignited anger over federal law enforcement actions in the city.

Federal authorities said the officer opened fire in self-defence after the woman allegedly attempted to use her vehicle to run over ICE personnel. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the shooting as justified, claiming the officer feared for his life and followed training protocols. She said the FBI would investigate the incident, calling the death tragic but preventable.

However, city and state leaders strongly challenged the federal account. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said video footage contradicted claims of self-defence and accused federal agents of escalating the situation unnecessarily. He demanded that ICE immediately withdraw from the city, alleging that their operations were creating fear and chaos in local communities.

Videos circulating on social media show ICE officers surrounding an SUV stopped on the road. As the vehicle appeared to move forward, one officer standing in front of it fired multiple shots at close range. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara later said he had seen no evidence suggesting the driver was trying to harm anyone.