Walz to give statewide address as ICE surge, Renee Good killing and impeachment push escalate
Gov. Tim Walz will deliver a statewide address Wednesday evening as protests intensify following the Jan. 7 ICE shooting death of Renee Nicole Good and a federal "Operation Metro Surge" that has brought more than 2,000 agents to Minnesota. Walz has authorized the National Guard to be staged and state officials have held coordinated safety briefings ahead of expected weekend protests amid new pre‑shooting video and reports of ICE using chemical agents near Good’s memorial, several federal prosecutors' resignations, a federal judge allowing ICE to continue operations, and Minnesota House Republicans drafting articles of impeachment against the governor.
📌 Key Facts
- Gov. Tim Walz scheduled a statewide address for 7 p.m. Wednesday amid the ICE crackdown; the timing is seven days after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37‑year‑old Renee Nicole Good (Ross says he acted in self‑defense and DHS says he suffered internal bleeding when struck by her vehicle).
- New extended pre‑shooting video released shows the minutes before the immigration officer fatally shot Good; the footage adds granular visual context, makes the dispute between DHS and local eyewitness/advocate accounts hinge on interpretable public video, and is fueling waves of online anger and organizing.
- Federal enforcement in Minnesota has escalated: Operation Metro Surge now exceeds 2,000 agents, and a federal judge has ruled ICE may continue operations in the state while legal challenges proceed; this local surge has been discussed alongside national talk of invoking the Insurrection Act, which was partly walked back by former President Trump.
- Local enforcement actions have increased tensions: ICE used a chemical irritant described as tear gas to disperse protesters near the Renee Good memorial at E. 35th St. & Park Ave.; Council Member Jason Chavez says ICE 'rammed' a Latino driver's car and questioned his immigration status — the driver, a U.S. citizen, says he was targeted for being Latino and was later released.
- DPS and the Minnesota National Guard, with partner agencies, are holding a joint 'public safety briefing' and coordinating a protest safety plan for anticipated pro‑ and anti‑ICE demonstrations this weekend; officials frame the planning as a response to two recent ICE‑involved shootings (Good on Jan. 7 and a nonfatal north‑side shooting one week later).
- The Good shooting and successive releases of body‑cam, bystander and extended pre‑shooting footage have rapidly triggered school walkouts and protests; St. Paul announced offering virtual classes beginning Jan. 22 because of ICE activity and safety concerns.
- Political and legal fallout continues: six federal prosecutors, including First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, resigned over how the Good investigation is being handled, and Minnesota House Republicans drafted articles of impeachment earlier in the day accusing Gov. Walz of failing to stop or disclose fraud in state programs.
📊 Relevant Data
As of December 2025, 82 out of 92 suspects indicted in the related Minnesota fraud cases were Somali American, according to the US Attorney's Office.
2020s Minnesota fraud scandals - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Investigators believed the level of child care fraud in Minnesota was more than the $5 million to $6 million prosecutors had been able to prove.
Fact check: What's really happening with child care fraud in Minnesota — Louisiana Illuminator
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have higher crime rates than natives, particularly in fraud-related offenses.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
The migration of Somalis to Minnesota has created stark socioeconomic disparities in a region once known for its egalitarianism.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies
Federal law enforcement officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them in 2025.
DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently — Department of Homeland Security
ICE has arrested 13 immigrants who are allegedly members of MS-13, Paisas, Oriental Boys and more during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
ICE: 13 gang members illegally in US arrested in Minneapolis — NewsNation
Operation Metro Surge is an ongoing operation by ICE with the purpose of apprehending undocumented immigrants and criminal aliens in Minnesota.
Operation Metro Surge - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
An estimated 260,000 people of Somali descent were living in the U.S. in 2024, with the largest population in Minnesota.
5 things to know about the Somali community in Minnesota after Trump's attacks — PBS NewsHour
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- DPS and the Minnesota National Guard, along with unnamed partner agencies, are holding a joint 'public safety briefing' specifically about this coming weekend’s anticipated pro‑ and anti‑ICE protests.
- The briefing is explicitly framed as a coordinated protest safety plan in response to two ICE‑involved shootings in Minneapolis – Renee Good’s killing on Jan. 7 in south Minneapolis and the non‑fatal north‑side shooting one week later.
- The story notes that federal presence under Operation Metro Surge has climbed to more than 2,000 agents in Minnesota, and sets this local safety planning against Trump’s recent Insurrection Act threats, which he partially walked back by saying there is 'no reason right now' to invoke it in Minneapolis.
- Gov. Tim Walz has scheduled a statewide address for 7 p.m. Wednesday specifically 'amid the ICE crackdown.'
- The piece ties the timing to exactly seven days since ICE officer Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37‑year‑old Renee Nicole Good, with Ross claiming self‑defense and DHS saying he suffered internal bleeding when struck by her vehicle.
- Minnesota House Republicans drafted articles of impeachment against Walz earlier in the day, accusing him of failing to stop or disclose fraud in state programs.
- The article notes that a federal judge has ruled ICE may continue operations in Minnesota while legal challenges proceed.
- It reiterates that six federal prosecutors, including First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, resigned over how the Good shooting investigation is being handled.
- The story links Walz’s address to mounting school walkouts, protests and St. Paul’s move to offer virtual classes beginning Jan. 22 because of ICE activity.
- ICE officers used a chemical irritant described as tear gas to disperse protesters at E. 35th St. & Park Ave., about two blocks from the Renee Good memorial.
- Council Member Jason Chavez says ICE ‘rammed’ a Latino driver’s car, then questioned his immigration status; the driver was a U.S. citizen who was ultimately released.
- The driver tells FOX 9 he believes he was targeted solely because he is Latino, and says ICE hit his car after activating lights as he attempted to pull over.
- Adds granular visual context about the scene and vehicle movements before the shots, which will inform state decision‑making about whether unrest risk is rising or falling as more evidence becomes public.
- Highlights that the dispute between DHS’s account and local eyewitness/advocate narratives is no longer theoretical but now hinges on interpretable video evidence accessible to the public.
- Underscores how quickly each new piece of documentation (body‑cam, bystander video, now extended pre‑shooting footage) is triggering fresh waves of online anger and organizing in the Twin Cities, directly relevant to the Guard standby decision.