Move Minnesota Statement Following ICE Shooting and Detentions in Minneapolis
A message of solidarity and mourning from Move Minnesota executive director MJ Carpio following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7 and ongoing threats to immigrant communities in the Twin Cities and beyond:
Like so many of you, we at Move Minnesota are horrified by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shooting a woman in South Minneapolis while she was in her vehicle yesterday. Her name was Renee Nicole Good. She was a legal observer. Her death occurred shortly after the federal government announced plans to dispatch as many as 2,000 ICE agents to Minnesota. And it follows weeks of detentions that continue happening here in the Twin Cities and across the nation, threatening communities and disrupting daily life not only in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but also in Greater Minnesota and in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Newark, and New Orleans. This is a terrifying experience for our residents. It’s a part of continued assaults on our democracy.
As a public transit education and advocacy nonprofit organization, we believe that public spaces belong to all of us. From our public buses, streets, and sidewalks to our public schools, parks, healthcare centers, and libraries, these spaces have the power to bring us together. They make our cities and our neighborhoods better and more connected. Right now, however, our public spaces are being used to abduct people and separate families. In addition to unconstitutional and brutal tactics, we know that ICE agents can wait at our transit stops and stations to look for people to arrest. A lot of people currently fear leaving their homes and using public transit to get where they need to go. Yet despite the fearmongering and violence, our community members are working hard to keep each other informed and safe. As we witness the rise of authoritarianism and injustice under this federal administration, we at Move Minnesota remain committed to helping build public spaces that facilitate joy, connection, and mobility.
We all deserve to move safely through our communities. The ongoing federal occupation of our cities and Renee’s murder at E 34th Street and Portland Avenue—where neighbors were making sure ICE activity was being documented—is antithetical to our shared vision of creating public spaces where people have freedom and ease of movement and a sense of belonging. This affects the communities we aim to serve. It endangers our friends, families, colleagues, and neighbors. It impacts all of us.
We stand in solidarity with immigrant communities. We grieve with Renee’s loved ones and neighbors who witnessed her murder. We will continue to work so that our public spaces and public transit systems reflect and uphold the dignity of our fellow Minnesotans and the democracy that we hold dear.
Sincerely,
MJ Carpio
Executive Director
Move Minnesota