The Violence and Chaos Comes from Activists, Not ICE
Following the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, protests erupted across multiple cities. On Friday night, January 9, approximately 30 people were arrested during demonstrations outside a downtown Minneapolis hotel where ICE agents were believed to be staying.
Police reported that protesters threw ice, snow, and rocks at officers and vehicles, injuring one officer with a chunk of ice. Some protesters also caused property damage, including broken hotel windows. City crews later removed makeshift barricades erected near the memorial site.
On January 8, protests also occurred outside an ICE facility in Portland following a separate shooting incident in which CBP agents shot two individuals identified by DHS as suspected Tren de Aragua gang members. Officers used sound trucks to warn protesters to stay off roadways, and two officers were injured. Portland police arrested six people during those protests.
In Minneapolis, additional violence occurred on January 7 near Roosevelt High School. Border Patrol agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations when a U.S. citizen rammed a government vehicle. The incident led to a five-mile vehicle chase that ended near Roosevelt High School around 3:30 p.m., during student dismissal.
According to DHS, agents were attempting to arrest the suspect for interfering with ICE operations when, during the removal of the individual from the vehicle, a person identifying himself as a teacher assaulted a Border Patrol agent. A crowd quickly formed and grew in size. Members of the crowd threw objects, sprayed paint on officers and vehicles, and continued hostilities despite repeated warnings to disperse. Officers ultimately employed targeted crowd-control measures.
The media, democrat lawmakers, and liberal protesters have blamed ICE for the increase in violence and chaos. However, the violence is not originating with ICE. It is being driven by suspects who resist arrest or attempt to flee, and increasingly by activists who interfere with ICE operations or directly attack federal agents.