Second Minneapolis ICE-Involved Shooting Sparks Renewed Protests and Clashes with Law Enforcement
Protests erupted across Minneapolis on Wednesday night and continued into the early hours of Thursday after a second immigration enforcement operation involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent resulted in a shooting, deepening tensions in a city already gripped by weeks of unrest.
The latest incident occurred in north Minneapolis, where a federal agent assigned to an immigration enforcement operation shot a man in the leg during an attempt to effect an arrest, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Federal authorities said the agent acted after the suspect resisted and “assaulted the officer,” prompting the agent to fire a single defensive shot. The injured man was reported to be in stable condition and taken into custody, while the ICE agent was also hospitalised after sustaining injuries during the altercation.
The developments triggered an immediate and forceful public reaction. Dozens of demonstrators gathered at the scene, many armed with horns and whistles, and confronted lines of federal officers. Police and federal agents responded with tear gas, pepper balls, and flash-bang devices to disperse protesters who were throwing objects and shouting anti-ICE slogans. Signs reading “ICE Out of Minneapolis” and other messages denouncing federal immigration enforcement were prominent throughout the demonstrations.
Local leadership condemned the violence and urged restraint as the protests escalated. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described parts of the crowd’s behaviour as “unlawful acts,” including the throwing of fireworks at officers, and appealed to residents to disperse to prevent further escalation of violence. “This is already a very tense situation, and we do not need this to escalate any further,” he said in remarks to local media.
Wednesday’s shooting came on the heels of an earlier and more controversial fatal encounter involving ICE agents that has dominated headlines and sparked nationwide demonstrations. On January 7, 2026, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, during a federal immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis. The circumstances of that incident were captured on video and widely shared, prompting a wave of outrage from community members, advocacy groups, and elected officials.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the initial shooting as an act of self-defence, characterising Good’s actions as an attempt to weaponise her vehicle against federal personnel. However, Minnesota’s mayor and others strongly disputed that account, calling it “bulls—” and accusing ICE of reckless use of force that has undermined trust between law enforcement and local communities.
The initial shooting of Good — which occurred within Minneapolis and drew comparisons to previous high-profile police killings — led to mass protests not only locally but in cities across the United States. Tens of thousands of people rallied in Minneapolis and nationwide, demanding accountability and calling for ICE to withdraw from the city entirely. Demonstrators have criticised the federal immigration operation as heavy-handed and harmful to immigrant communities.
In response to mounting unrest and political pressure, Minnesota counties, the city of Minneapolis, and the state government initiated legal action against the Department of Homeland Security in an attempt to halt the federal immigration enforcement surge. Attorney General Keith Ellison and local officials argue that the continued deployment of ICE agents exacerbates community tensions and places residents at risk.
The broader immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis is one of the largest of its kind to date, with DHS having deployed thousands of federal agents as part of efforts to crack down on alleged immigration violations and welfare fraud. But critics say the heavy presence of federal officers, many in tactical gear and operating in neighbourhoods without clear local oversight, has created a climate of fear and hostility rather than one of safety.
At Wednesday’s protest scene, clashes between demonstrators and federal officers underscored the fraught relationship between community members and immigration authorities. Demonstrators threw objects and engaged with police lines, leading to the use of chemical agents by law enforcement. Such tactics have drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates, who argue that the government response to protests has at times mirrored the aggressive posture seen in the initial shooting incident.
The city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have both publicly called for de-escalation and a reduction of federal enforcement activities, emphasising that ICE’s presence is destabilising and counterproductive. Frey has repeatedly urged ICE to leave Minneapolis, stating that the agency’s operations are doing more harm than good to local trust and public safety.
In the aftermath of both shootings, political and legal repercussions continue to unfold. Members of Congress have introduced measures seeking oversight and accountability for the federal use of force, and advocates have pressed for comprehensive investigations into ICE’s tactics and role in the city. Meanwhile, community leaders and civil rights groups are intensifying calls for greater protections for immigrant communities and for federal law enforcement operations to be subject to stricter local and judicial review.
The repeated incidents involving ICE agents and federal law enforcement operations in Minneapolis have ignited a broader debate on immigration policy, the use of force by federal agents, and the balance between enforcement and civil liberties. They have also prompted discussions about the future of federal intervention in local communities and the mechanisms by which law enforcement agencies are held accountable to the public they serve.
As the protests persist and officials weigh responses, Minneapolis stands at the centre of a contentious national conversation — one that encompasses immigration enforcement priorities, community trust, and the role of federal power in local jurisdictions. Authorities have stressed that additional updates will be provided as investigations into the latest shooting and subsequent clashes continue, and leaders on all sides have appealed for calm even amid deep divisions over the path forward.
