The family of Renee Good has taken legal action against the federal government and several high-ranking officials, filing two civil lawsuits nine months after the Minneapolis woman was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during what has become one of the most controversial incidents of this administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
The lawsuits, announced Thursday by the family’s attorney, name not only Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who fired the fatal shots, but also White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The legal action represents a significant challenge to federal immigration enforcement practices that have drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates and state officials alike.
The first lawsuit operates under the Federal Tort Claims Act, seeking to hold the United States government liable for the actions of its agents. The complaint alleges wrongful death, battery, assault, false imprisonment, emotional distress, and negligence. The second suit directly names the individual officers and officials involved in what the family characterizes as an unlawful use of force.
“I stand here with fierce determination to do what is right for my sister, for her children, and for our country, and that is to insist on accountability,” stated Brent Ganger, Good’s brother. “What happened to her on January 7th and what has happened to far too many people in the last year is not what America is about. We can and must do better, and the Constitution must be the roadmap back to decency and the rule of law.”
The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a controversial deployment of three thousand immigration agents to the Twin Cities that began in December. Federal officials launched the operation after conservative commentators highlighted a state fraud scandal involving Somali nationals. The deployment sparked substantial protests and drew sharp criticism from Minnesota’s state leadership before ending in February.
Good, who was 37 years old, died in the driver’s seat of her SUV on January 7. Video footage captured by witnesses shows her partner, Becca Good, standing outside the vehicle and engaging verbally with Ross, who was among several officers at the scene. Officers can be heard on the recording instructing Good to exit the vehicle. The video then shows Good turning the steering wheel away from Ross and beginning to drive forward. Multiple gunshots follow before the SUV crashes into a parked vehicle.
A separate video recorded by Ross himself contains audio of a male voice using profanity moments before the crash occurred.
The Trump administration defended Ross’s actions immediately following the incident. Both President Trump and Secretary Noem characterized Good as an agitator who attempted to run over the officer with her vehicle. However, witnesses interviewed at the time indicated that Ross did not appear to be in the direct path of the SUV.
According to official statements, Ross received treatment at a hospital for injuries sustained during the incident and was released shortly thereafter. A Department of Homeland Security official confirmed Ross suffered internal bleeding, though no further details about his injuries were provided.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the White House has responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuits. A representative for Ross could not be identified for comment.
Attorney Antonio M. Romanucci, representing the Good family, expressed hope that these lawsuits mark the beginning of a broader effort toward legal accountability in this matter.
The case raises fundamental questions about the scope and limits of federal law enforcement authority, particularly regarding immigration operations conducted within American communities. As this legal action proceeds through the courts, it will likely provide important clarification on these issues that concern both civil liberties and public safety.
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