Democrats are splitting over whether to allow an investigation to play out before backing charges against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who fatally shot a Minnesota protester who struck him with her SUV this week.
Party members have broadly condemned the shooting but disagree on the timeline for “accountability” amid widespread debate as to the circumstances of the incident, and whether lethal force was warranted.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Ro Khanna (D-CA) on Wednesday said the federal agent must be swiftly prosecuted for killing an “unarmed” woman whom Minneapolis police said was “blocking the street” with her vehicle to thwart an ICE operation.
“What we saw today is a murder, and murders in cold blood need to be prosecuted,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement accusing ICE of being an “anti-civilian force” acting with “no accountability.”
“That ICE agent needs to be arrested, and he needs to be prosecuted,” Khanna said. “He needs to be put on trial.”
The demands from House lawmakers, known as leading progressives, place them at odds with caucus leaders, as well as top Democratic Minnesota officials.
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) are among those who have shied away from calling for charges to be pursued before allowing an investigation to play out.
Jeffries said the ICE officer should be “investigated to the full extent of the law for acting with depraved indifference to human life.” Schumer said on Thursday morning that there needs to be “a full investigation at the federal level” and local levels.
“Obviously, and I have to always lead with this caveat, because it is true, an investigation still does need to be conducted,” Frey said in a press conference hours after the shooting, when pressed on whether he would seek legal recourse against the ICE officer.
However, shortly after Frey’s comments, 11 of 13 sitting members on the liberal Minneapolis City Council urged officials to go further.
Anyone who kills someone in the city “deserves to be arrested, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” they demanded in a joint statement.
Khanna: I saw the video. It was disgusting. I was horrified. That ICE agent needs to be arrested and prosecuted. We cannot have a lawless agency continuing the way they are. There needs to be accountability.
.@PabloReports: Do you think it’s time to look at the DHS budget?… pic.twitter.com/jEVOZON97y
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 8, 2026
Republicans, by and large, have appeared to publicly stand with the Trump administration in arguing that the shooting was justified. Trump administration officials said Renee Nicole Good was shot in her car after attempting to “weaponize” her vehicle against officers by seeking to “run over” a law enforcement officer.
Most Democrats and some eyewitnesses have disputed that account as “propaganda,” pointing to videos of the incident they say contradict the administration. Video footage shows Good being told to exit the vehicle before pumping the gas and striking the officer in front of her SUV, who then shot her in the head through her windshield.
ICE ACCUSES POLITICO REPORTER OF ‘INCITING VIOLENCE’ AGAINST FEDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA POST
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE, said on Wednesday that the loss of life was “preventable,” but placed the burden of blame on liberal protesters for placing federal officers in a tense situation.
“Any loss of life is a tragedy,” she said during a press conference, saying the ICE officer responsible had suffered minor injuries. “He was treated at a local hospital, has been released, and is now with family. I encourage the American people at this point in time to pray for him, but also to pray for the deceased’s family and her loved ones.”