ICE killing in Minnesota fuels Bay Area calls for action, community protection
SAN JOSE — Community advocates in Santa Clara County on Thursday denounced the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minnesota, warning that what happened there reflects a broader pattern of federal immigration enforcement they say is increasingly dangerous — and already visible in the Bay Area.
At a press conference hosted by the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network, speakers called the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis part of an escalating national crackdown they believe threatens immigrant communities and those who document federal operations. They urged state and local governments to expand funding for legal services and community protections and encouraged residents to join the network, a coalition of 10 nonprofit organizations and thousands of trained volunteers who monitor ICE activity and assist people detained in the region.
Mimi Nguyen, a network member, said the shooting was “horrific and escalating,” saying the Department of Homeland Security deployed thousands of agents in Minneapolis in what she described as an effort to “terrorize the Somali community.” The use of force, she said, was “not an accident” but what she called a “deliberate escalation.”
“What we’re witnessing in Minnesota should outrage every person in this country, regardless of your political affiliation, geography or immigration status,” Nguyen said. “Masked, armed federal agents flooding neighborhoods, operating with impunity, violently suppressing community presence and silencing witnesses is unacceptable.”Nguyen said the episode sends a “chilling message that the federal government is willing to treat entire communities as enemy territory.”
“Our rapid response networks exist because our communities refuse to be isolated, disappeared or terrorized in silence,” she said. “We exist because collective community care and response is an essential tool of protection when government power is abused.”Yesenia Campos, a San Jose resident and network member, said she was detained by ICE in October while observing agents taking people into custody.
“These agencies have a long and documented history of terrorizing communities, and today, that terror took Renee’s life,” Campos said. “Anyone who is involved in these agencies who carries out or defends this violence has abandoned all moral responsibility.”
Stephanie Jayne, another network member, said local communities have experienced what she called the consequences of aggressive enforcement tactics — including hospitalizations, broken car windows and medical needs being disregarded during arrests.
“This violence has happened here in our county, in our cities, in front of families, children, neighbors and witnesses,” Jayne said. “While we mourn the murder of Renee Good, we also mourn the 32 people who have died in ICE custody in 2025.”
“While deadly force has not yet been used here in Santa Clara County, the warning signs are unmistakable,” she added.
The rapid-response network reiterated its commitment to continuing its work protecting the community and encouraged community members to volunteer.
“We know that what we’re doing is lawful, and we will continue to do so while keeping each other safe,” Haro added.
Other speakers focused on policy and funding. Jeremy Barousse called on local governments to invest more heavily in immigrant protection to counter what he described as the Trump administration’s “massive machine” for deportations, including expanded detention centers and aggressive recruitment of ICE agents.
Rebeca Armendariz, with Working Partnerships and the Rapid Response Network, praised California for passing legislation supporting immigrant communities — like limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — but said the state is “not immune” from federal enforcement in local neighborhoods. She urged lawmakers to expand protections and allocate an additional $50 million for immigration legal services.
The network reiterated its commitment to continuing its work and encouraged community members to volunteer.
“The Rapid Response Network in Santa Clara County is here to protect, empower and serve,” said Mariana Haro, a member of the group. “The tactics of terror, intimidation and violence we are seeing will not deter our work or weaken our commitment to protecting the rights of all Santa Clara County residents.”
Nguyen closed by urging public action.
“This moment demands more than silence,” she said. “It demands public outrage, it demands accountability, and it demands a community across the country to say clearly and loudly and collectively, ‘This violence is not accepted, tolerated and will not be ignored.'”