The family of Renee Good, a mother of three who was killed on January 7 by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis, has filed two lawsuits against the U.S. government and senior officials of the Trump administration.
Good was shot during a city‑wide sweep known as Operation Metro Surge, a police initiative that targeted immigrants and individuals suspected of criminal activity. Her partner Becca Good and her brother Brent Ganger claim that the operation created an “unprecedented environment for state‑sanctioned violence,” arguing that federal employees acted recklessly and with intent to cause harm.
The first complaint, brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act, accuses the federal government of battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence that resulted in Good’s death. The second suit targets the ICE officer who fired the fatal shot, Jonathan Ross, and names former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and border‑policy figure Tom Homan, among others, alleging a conspiracy to infringe on civil rights.
Good was 37 years old and had recently moved to Minneapolis. Authorities reported that she was shot after making “an attempt to kill or harm agents” in an act of domestic terrorism. Family members and witnesses dispute this claim, stating that she was unable to reach the car’s doors when the shooting occurred. Good’s death joined that of Alex Pretti, who was also killed by ICE a few weeks later, prompting the withdrawal of hundreds of federal agents from the city.
On Tuesday, Good’s mother Donna Ganger, a registered Republican and Christian, testified before Congress, urging accountability while recalling the assumption that immigration agents were protecting citizens. Her brother also spoke alongside her about the community’s grief.
The White House and Department of Homeland Security have not yet responded to the lawsuits. The case has ignited renewed debate over the legal boundaries of immigration enforcement, the use of force by federal agents, and the accountability of high‑ranking officials for policy decisions.
The legal action underscores an emerging pattern: families of victims now hold corporations and government agencies to account as immigration enforcement continues to provoke public scrutiny and legislative review.
