Trump won’t be around forever; sooner or later, he’ll be prosecuted.

A Minute-by-Minute Timeline

Detailed video analyses conducted by several prestigious media outlets have made it possible to reconstruct the final minutes of Renee Good’s life with frightening precision. At 9:35 a.m., her vehicle, a brown Honda Pilot, was parked diagonally on Portland Avenue. Four vehicles passed her in the adjacent lane. At 9:36 a.m., her wife, Becca, got out of the car and began talking to a federal agent. Both parties recorded each other on their phones. A tense but verbally nonviolent exchange ensued. Becca stated, among other things: “We don’t change our license plates every morning, just so you know. It’ll be the same plate when you come back to talk to us later.”

At 9:37 a.m., the situation escalated dramatically. A Nissan pickup truck pulled up next to the Good family’s vehicle, and two agents got out, ordering Renee to “get out of the car.” Accounts differ regarding the exact orders given, with some claiming that one agent told her to leave while another shouted at her to stay. This confusion over the orders is crucial to understanding what follows. Renee backed up briefly and then began to move forward. It was at that moment that Officer Jonathan Ross, positioned at the front left of the vehicle, fired three shots in less than a second. The bullets struck Renee Good in the head. Her vehicle continued for a few dozen meters before crashing into a parked car and an electric pole.

The Minutes Following the Shooting

Immediately after the shots were fired, a male voice is heard saying “fucking bitch” in the officer’s recording. The officers on the scene refused assistance from a doctor who arrived at the scene, claiming that emergency responders were on their way. It took six minutes after the first shots were fired for emergency medical services to arrive. Eight minutes after the shooting, paramedics began performing CPR. It wasn’t until fifteen minutes after she was shot that Renee Good was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

These details send a chill down my spine. A life is snuffed out in a fraction of a second, and for fifteen interminable minutes, no one really intervenes. A doctor offers to help; he is turned away. Officers trained to save lives let a woman bleed to death. This inaction is not negligence—it is contempt. Renee Good’s life meant nothing to them. She wasn’t a human being; she was a target. And after subduing her, they let her die slowly, without compassion, without remorse. This bureaucratic coldness is perhaps even more terrifying than the initial violence.

A Disturbing Profile

The agent who shot Renee Good has been identified as Jonathan Ross, an ICE veteran with an impressive but also troubling career. Hired by the agency in 2016 after serving in the Border Patrol from 2007 to 2015, Ross is no ordinary agent. He is a member of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit and served in Iraq as part of the U.S. Army. Even more revealing, in December 2025 he stated that he was “a firearms instructor, active shooter instructor, field intelligence officer, and member of the SWAT team, the St. Paul Special Response Team.” This man was therefore among the most highly trained and battle-hardened agents in the agency.

What makes his profile particularly concerning is an incident that occurred six months before the fatal shooting. On June 17, 2025, Ross was dragged 45 meters and seriously injured during an arrest attempt. After smashing a vehicle’s window to unlock the door, he required 33 stitches. This incident appears to have profoundly shaped his modus operandi. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem both referred to this incident even before Ross’s identity was publicly known, suggesting psychological conditioning to justify increased violence.

An Ideologically Committed Man

Information about Jonathan Ross’s personal life paints a picture of a man deeply rooted in a conservative ideological worldview. His father describes him as a “conservative Christian,” while a neighbor states that he supported Trump in the 2024 election and had even flown the Gadsden flag in front of his house. This political commitment is not insignificant when one considers the nature of the work he does. He is not merely a civil servant enforcing neutral laws, but an actor convinced he is on a political crusade.

Jonathan Ross is not a monster who appeared out of nowhere. He is the product of a system that glorifies violence, rewards aggression, and turns citizens into soldiers in a culture war. This man did not act alone; he acted as a soldier of an ideology that views immigrants as enemies, progressives as traitors, and any form of dissent as an existential threat. His military background, his SWAT training, and his conservative political commitment all combine to create a profile of a man ready to use lethal force without hesitation. The real question is not why he fired, but why such a man was placed in a position where he could do so.

A Flawless Defense of the Indefensible

The federal government’s response in the hours and days following Renee Good’s death was both swift and staggering. Instead of launching an independent investigation or expressing regret, the Trump administration immediately adopted an aggressive defensive stance. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that the agent had “acted quickly and defensively to protect himself and those around him,” alleging that Renee Good had “attacked ICE and those around her and attempted to ram them and strike them with her vehicle.”

President Donald Trump went even further, describing Renee Good as “very disorderly, obstructive, and resistant, who then violently, intentionally, and viciously ran over the ICE officer, who appears to have shot her in self-defense.” During an interview in the Oval Office, Trump showed reporters a video of the incident, insisting on his version of events even when reporters pointed out that the video did not clearly show the agent being run over. Vice President JD Vance, for his part, called Renee Good’s death a “self-inflicted tragedy” and described her as “a victim of left-wing ideology.”

The Propaganda Machine in Motion

What is particularly striking about these reactions is the obvious coordination of their messaging. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin labeled the incident an “act of domestic terrorism”—extraordinarily strong language to describe what was initially a simple immigration check. The agency quickly released the video filmed by Agent Ross himself, having it shared by official accounts and conservative allies. This communication strategy was clearly aimed at controlling the narrative, portraying the agents as victims and Renee Good as an aggressor.

The speed with which the Trump administration turned a victim into a perpetrator makes me sick. Not only have they killed Renee Good, but they are also assassinating her memory, portraying her as a terrorist, a threat to society. This inversion of the truth is not merely a political strategy; it is an additional act of moral violence inflicted on an already devastated family. How can a government sink so low? How can leaders lie with such audacity, defend the indefensible with such conviction? This is no longer politics; it is moral perversion.

Minneapolis in Flames

News of Renee Good’s death spread through Minneapolis like wildfire. On the evening of January 7, thousands of people gathered near the scene of the shooting, just one mile from where George Floyd was murdered in 2020. The parallels with that tragedy were immediate and poignant. As in 2020, the community reacted with a mix of grief, anger, and determination. Candles were lit, flowers were laid, but barricades were also erected using cars, wood, and tires to prevent authorities from accessing the scene.

Mayor Jacob Frey, who had initially been cautious in his statements, quickly hardened his tone in the face of the video evidence. “Having seen the video myself, I want to say directly to everyone that this is bullshit,” he declared, adding, “To ICE: Get out of Minneapolis.” Governor Tim Walz was just as direct, stating, “We don’t need any additional help from the federal government.” Minneapolis public schools canceled classes for the rest of the week, citing safety concerns after ICE used pepper spray and pepper balls against students at Roosevelt High School.

The Movement’s National Expansion

What began as a local reaction in Minneapolis quickly turned into a national movement. On January 8, protests erupted in dozens of cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, and many others. Each protest had its own local characteristics, but all shared the same core message: never again. Thousands marched past the federal office in Manhattan; hundreds blocked the streets of Los Angeles; and vigils were held in smaller cities like Durham, North Carolina.

I feel immense pride seeing this response. In the face of injustice, in the face of state violence, the American people are rising up. Thousands of people in the streets—not because they were told to do so, but because their conscience demands it. This is democracy in action, in its purest, most authentic form. Leaders may lie, the media may manipulate, but when the people decide to rise up, nothing can stop them. This urban uprising is America remembering its origins, rediscovering its revolutionary spirit.

Unprecedented Virality

The speed at which the story of Renee Good’s death spread across the country would not have been possible without social media. In the hours following the shooting, videos of the incident were shared millions of times across all platforms. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok—each platform played a role in spreading the news and mobilizing the public. The hashtag #JusticeForReneeGood trended globally, reaching tens of millions of mentions in just 24 hours.

What is remarkable about this spread is the diversity of the content shared. Not only raw footage of the incident, but also detailed analyses, eyewitness accounts from people at the scene, images of the protests, and calls to action. Influencers from across the political spectrum have taken a stand, turning this event into a moment of national unity. Figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, as well as celebrities like Beyoncé, LeBron James, and Taylor Swift, have expressed their support for the Good family and their opposition to ICE policies.

The Pro-Government Counteroffensive

Faced with this wave of protest, supporters of the Trump administration also used social media to defend their version of events. Pro-Trump accounts widely shared the video showing what they claim is Renee Good attempting to ram agents, using hashtags such as #BlueLivesMatter and #SupportICE. Organized Facebook groups coordinated counter-protests, calling for support of law enforcement and denouncing what they describe as a “leftist disinformation campaign.” This digital battle has become a major front in the conflict, with each side using every means at its disposal to influence public opinion.

Social media has fundamentally changed the game. There’s no longer any need to wait for the evening news or newspaper articles. The truth—or at least one version of the truth—can now spread instantly across the globe. This democratization of information is terrifying to authoritarian regimes, which are losing control over the narrative. That is why they fight so hard against these platforms, accusing them of spreading “fake news” and of partisanship. In reality, what they fear is freedom, the truth, and the power of the people to form their own opinions.

The Investigation Blocked by Washington

One of the most troubling consequences of Renee Good’s death has been the reaction of law enforcement authorities. Normally, a shooting involving federal agents would prompt a thorough and transparent investigation. But in this case, the investigation was immediately complicated by an unexpected federal intervention. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which would normally lead the investigation, was denied access to crucial evidence by federal authorities.

Governor Tim Walz expressed his frustration with this situation, stating that state investigators “had been blocked in their attempt to access key evidence.” This federal obstruction represents an unprecedented violation of normal procedures for cooperation between levels of government. Federal authorities have taken over the investigation, making any independent prosecution of Officer Ross much more difficult. This situation has raised profound questions about the impartiality of the judicial system and the ability of states to enforce their own laws in the face of determined federal opposition.

Possible Civil Lawsuits

Faced with these legal obstacles, the Good family and their attorneys have begun exploring other avenues to seek justice. Civil lawsuits are being considered against Agent Ross personally, against ICE, and against the Department of Homeland Security. These legal actions aim not only to secure financial compensation but, above all, to compel the transparency that the federal government refuses to provide. Organizations such as the ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights have offered legal support to the family, recognizing the constitutional significance of this case.

This obstruction of justice by the federal government revolts me to the core. We are no longer in a democracy; we are in a regime where the executive branch can block investigations, suppress evidence, and protect its killers with impunity. How can we speak of the rule of law when justice itself is subject to politics? The Good family is fighting not only for its own dignity, but for the fundamental principle that no one—not even a federal agent—is above the law. This legal battle will determine whether America remains a democracy or slides completely into authoritarianism.

The Global Shockwave

The death of Renee Good and the protests that followed not only shook the United States, but also sparked reactions around the world. Foreign governments, international organizations, and international media outlets all commented on the event, often portraying it as a troubling sign of the decline of American democracy. The European Union, through its spokesperson for foreign affairs, expressed its “deep concern” and called for a “transparent and independent investigation.”

The United Nations, through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, also responded, calling for those responsible to be held accountable and emphasizing that “the use of lethal force must always be a measure of last resort.” Countries that are traditional allies of the United States, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, issued cautious but clear statements, expressing concern about the escalation of violence and calling for calm and restraint. Even countries critical of the United States, such as Russia and China, seized the opportunity to point the finger at what they describe as “American hypocrisy on human rights.”

The Diplomatic Consequences

These international reactions are beginning to have concrete diplomatic consequences. Several countries have raised the possibility of reviewing their security cooperation agreements with the United States. The African Union has called for an emergency session to discuss the safety of African citizens living in the United States following allegations that Operation “Metro Surge” specifically targeted communities of Somali origin. Human rights organizations around the world have launched campaigns in solidarity with American protesters.

Seeing America pilloried like this on the international stage breaks my heart. We, who used to present ourselves as the beacon of democracy, the example for the whole world to follow, have now been reduced to lecturing Russia and China on human rights. How did we get here? How could a country that prided itself on its moral superiority have become a counterexample of democracy? This loss of prestige is not simply a matter of image; it is a tragedy for all those, everywhere in the world, who were fighting for freedom inspired by the American model.

Terrorized Communities

Beyond the protests and political debates, Renee Good’s death has created a profound humanitarian crisis in immigrant communities across the country. Reports are emerging from all over, describing a paralyzing fear that has gripped millions of people. In Minnesota and beyond, entire families have stopped leaving their homes; parents are keeping their children at home rather than sending them to school; and immigrant-owned businesses are closing their doors for fear of being targeted. This atmosphere of terror is profoundly affecting the daily lives and mental health of already vulnerable communities.

Community organizations are overwhelmed with calls from people seeking psychological or legal assistance, or simply information about their rights. Mental health centers report a dramatic increase in cases of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, particularly among children who have witnessed acts of violence or who live in constant fear that their parents will be arrested. Schools in areas with large immigrant populations are reporting record absenteeism rates, with teachers describing students who are trembling, unable to concentrate, and terrified that their parents won’t come home at night.

The Silent Exodus

Faced with this growing threat, a troubling phenomenon is unfolding: a silent exodus of immigrant families leaving the United States to return to their countries of origin or seek refuge elsewhere in Canada. Immigration lawyers report a 300% increase in requests for information regarding voluntary departure procedures. Families who have spent decades building their lives in America are selling their homes, closing their businesses, and abandoning everything they have built, preferring the precariousness of exile to the threat of state violence.

This humanitarian crisis is the invisible yet most devastating consequence of the politics of fear. These are not merely statistics in a report; they are shattered lives, torn families, and traumatized children. How can we speak of security when millions of people live in constant terror? How can we claim to protect the country by destroying the lives of those who keep it going? This policy does not make anyone safer; it only creates a more divided, more distrustful, and more cruel society. The human cost of this ideology is immense and unforgivable.

A Divided Nation

Renee Good’s death has only exacerbated the political divisions already tearing the United States apart. On one side, supporters of the Trump administration are fiercely defending ICE’s actions, portraying Agent Ross as a hero who protected the community and Renee Good as a criminal who got what she deserved. Polls conducted in the days following the incident show that more than 70% of Republican voters support the agent’s actions, while pro-ICE rallies have been organized in several conservative cities.

On the other hand, the progressive opposition sees this tragedy as the ultimate proof of the Trump regime’s fascist nature. To them, Renee Good is a martyr, whose death symbolizes everything that is wrong with America today. The anti-ICE protests have been joined by other social movements—Black Lives Matter, March for Our Lives, environmental groups, and LGBT+ organizations—creating a broad but sometimes fragile coalition of opposition. This extreme polarization makes any dialogue impossible, with each side living in a different information bubble, with different facts and different realities.

The Crisis of Democratic Institutions

This political divide is putting a severe strain on American democratic institutions. Congress is paralyzed, unable to pass any meaningful legislation on immigration or police reform. The Supreme Court, already polarized, faces cases that could redefine the balance of power between the federal government and the states. The media are accused of bias by both sides, eroding public trust in the press. Local and national elections are turning into referendums on this single issue, transforming complex debates into simplistic, binary choices.

I look at this country that I love and see it tearing itself apart before my eyes. Friends, family, colleagues—everyone seems forced to choose a side, as if we were in a civil war. How can a country be governed when half the population views the other half as enemies? How can we find solutions when each side refuses even to listen to the other? This polarization isn’t natural; it’s orchestrated, fueled by politicians who win by dividing us and demonizing the other side. We are losing our shared soul—our ability to see the humanity we all share beyond our political differences.

Innovative Forms of Resistance

In the face of federal repression, opponents of ICE policies are developing new and creative forms of resistance. Underground shelter networks are forming to protect families targeted by raids. Volunteer lawyers are organizing legal clinics in churches and community centers. Technologists are creating apps to alert communities to imminent raids. Artists are producing commemorative works, musicians are composing protest songs, and writers are publishing poignant testimonies.

This movement is also taking on more traditional political forms. Voting drives are organized in affected communities, and progressive candidates are supported in local and national elections. Bills are drafted to limit ICE’s powers, create sanctuary cities, and reform the police. Class-action lawsuits are being prepared, and long-term legal strategies are being developed to challenge federal policies in court. This diversity of approaches demonstrates the richness and resilience of the movement, which refuses to be discouraged by repression.

Challenges Ahead

Despite this energy, the movement faces considerable challenges. Federal repression is intensifying, with arrests of leaders, infiltration by agents provocateurs, and disinformation campaigns. Activist fatigue threatens to set in as the crisis drags on. Internal divisions within the movement—between moderates and radicals, and among different strategic approaches—risk weakening the coalition. And above all, the question remains: Will all of this be enough to change policies, or will the Trump administration succeed in crushing this resistance just as it has crushed so many others before it?

What fascinates me about this movement is its creativity, its ability to constantly reinvent forms of resistance. When one door closes, they find ten others to open. When repression intensifies, their determination only grows. It is this resilience, this inventiveness, that gives me hope. But I am also a realist. The road ahead will be long and difficult. Victories will be rare and hard-won. But every small victory, every life saved, every family protected—it all counts. Every act of resistance, even the most humble, helps build the world we want to see.

A Decisive Moment

Renee Good’s death represents much more than an individual tragedy; it symbolizes a moment of existential choice for the United States. The country finds itself at a critical crossroads, forced to decide what kind of nation it wants to be. Will America continue down this path of division, fear, and state violence? Or will it find a way to return to its founding ideals of liberty, equality, and justice for all? The answer to this question will determine not only the country’s immediate future but also its identity for generations to come.

The protests that followed Renee Good’s death show that a significant portion of the population refuses to accept this drift toward authoritarianism. Millions of Americans, from all political, ethnic, and social backgrounds, have said no to this normalization of violence. They have reminded the government that in a democracy, power belongs to the people, not to federal agents. They have demonstrated that despite the divisions, despite the fear, despite the repression, the spirit of resistance remains alive in America.

As I write these lines, my heart wavers between hope and anguish. Hope that this movement will grow, that people of good will will stand up, that America will finally choose justice over fear. But also anguish at the thought of all that remains to be done, all the dangers that threaten us, all the lives still at stake. Renee Good’s death must not be in vain. It must become a catalyst, a turning point that reminds us that every life matters, that every injustice concerns us all, that our silence makes us complicit. America’s future is being decided right now—in our streets, in our hearts, in our daily choices. In the face of tyranny, we have no right to remain neutral.