Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz authorized the state's national guard to work with and support local law enforcement officials Thursday evening, following a day of heightened tensions and protests over Wednesday's fatal ICE shooting of a woman in her car.
Gov. Walz says the authorization of the Guard is a precaution.
He thanked residents for remaining peaceful as they protested.
"Thousands of people have peacefully made their voices heard. Minnesota: thank you. We saw powerful peace."
While the protest remained largely peaceful for much of the day, several tense confrontations broke out, and authorities detained multiple people.
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Demonstrators gathered outside a federal building in St. Paul that houses regional ICE offices, chanting and holding signs as they called for accountability.
“This is not America. This is not how we grew up,” one protester said. “This is not in the Constitution. This is not democracy.”
Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was identified as the woman shot and killed Wednesday during an immigration enforcement operation.
Video circulating online shows Good seated in a maroon Honda Pilot as federal agents appeared to order her to exit the vehicle. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good attempted to block officers with her vehicle, struck an agent and was shot.
Federal officials on Thursday declined to name the officer who fired the shots but said he has more than 10 years of experience as an ICE deportation officer.
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Vice President J.D. Vance claimed the officer’s actions were “justified” and that he deserved a “debt of gratitude,” adding that the agent was protected by what he described as “absolute immunity.”
“This is a guy who’s actually done a very, very important job for the United States of America,” Vance said. “He’s been assaulted. He’s been attacked. He’s been injured because of it.”
Meanwhile, federal authorities have blocked Minnesota investigators from accessing evidence related to the shooting, saying state officials lack jurisdiction over the case. The FBI is leading the investigation.
The decision has drawn criticism from state leaders, with some questioning whether the investigation can be conducted fairly.
“I think it’s clear to everyone, as they saw this, that it feels now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said. “It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome.”
