A month after Renee Nicole Good's tragic death at the hands of an immigration officer in Minneapolis, her partner has spoken out, denouncing the federal government's aggressive immigration crackdown that took her life. In a rare statement, the partner, Becca Good, expressed her profound pride in calling Minneapolis home, but also criticized the federal government's actions, which have resulted in the deaths of Renee and another ICU nurse, Alex Pretti. She emphasized the broader impact of these actions, stating, 'Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last.' While we know Renee's name and Alex's, Becca highlights the many others affected by these policies, whose stories and families are also suffering. 'They are neighbors, friends, coworkers, classmates. And we must also know their names,' she added, emphasizing the need for recognition and support for all those impacted. Becca Good has been largely silent since the tragic event on January 7th.
The incident occurred shortly after the Trump administration deployed 3,000 additional immigration agents to the Twin Cities, dubbed Operation Metro Surge. This surge was prompted by right-wing influencers' renewed scrutiny of a state fraud scandal involving Somali nationals. Since the operation's inception in December, over 4,000 undocumented immigrants have been apprehended, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The operation has sparked near-daily protests in the Twin Cities, with residents volunteering to support undocumented immigrants and protect their neighborhoods from immigration authorities. The daily lives of many in the area have been significantly altered.
The killing of Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection agents weeks after Good's death further underscores the tension. Initially, Trump administration officials defended the agents, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calling Pretti a 'domestic terrorist.' However, the administration later announced a reduction in its operations in the state, sending 700 agents back home. The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into Pretti's death but has not done the same for Good. Becca Good's statement emphasized the values of kindness and equality, stating, 'Renee and I chose kindness. We believed that every life deserves the same care, treatment, and dignity, no matter who they are or what they look like.' The killings have sparked calls for DHS reform and calls for Secretary Noem's resignation, with Renee Good's brothers addressing lawmakers to raise concerns about the DHS's violent tactics.
