Former ICE Director Goes on CNN, Says Shooting Should Never Have Happened
MINNEAPOLIS — Former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Sarah Saldaña publicly criticized the actions of ICE agents involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good during a televised interview Wednesday, calling the incident unjustified and deeply troubling.
Saldaña, who led ICE from 2014 to 2017 under the Obama administration, appeared on CNN as protests and scrutiny intensified following the shooting of Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three who was killed during an immigration enforcement operation on Jan. 7.
During the interview, Saldaña said ICE agents are trained to disengage and de-escalate when encountering bystanders and vehicles, noting that deadly force should be a last resort. She stated that, based on publicly available information and video footage, the circumstances did not appear to warrant the use of lethal force.
The comments marked one of the strongest public rebukes of the incident from a former ICE leader and added pressure on federal authorities already facing criticism over the handling of the investigation.
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Good, a U.S. citizen who was not a target of the operation, was inside her vehicle in a residential neighborhood when ICE agents surrounded the car. Video from bystanders shows agents issuing commands as the vehicle moved slowly before shots were fired. Good was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Department of Homeland Security has defended the shooting as self-defense, claiming the agent believed Good posed an imminent threat with her vehicle. The agent has been placed on administrative leave.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed it withdrew from the investigation after the FBI assumed exclusive control, citing restrictions on access to evidence and witnesses. The FBI is now leading the probe.
Saldaña’s remarks have amplified calls from protesters and local leaders for an independent investigation and greater transparency as demonstrations continue in Minneapolis. No charges have been filed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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