US Woman Killed By ICE Agent Was Called A "Domestic Terrorist": What It Means

The Minneapolis woman who was shot dead by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was a "domestic terrorist", said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three and poet, was killed after she allegedly refused to exit her car and attempted to use her vehicle against an officer, according to Noem. The claims have been disputed in videos circulating online. Good, a US citizen with no criminal record, dropped off her six-year-old son at school. Her ex-husband said she was not involved in activism or protests.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the claim "an abuse of the term" domestic terrorism.

What Is Domestic Terrorism?

Domestic terrorism generally means acts that are dangerous to people or property, break the law, and aim to intimidate civilians or influence the government. US Federal agencies like the FBI and Homeland Security have slightly different legal definitions, but both focus on threats to life, property, or government functions.

The US government cannot formally label someone a "domestic terrorist" under the law.

The US Congress wrote in 2023, "Unlike foreign terrorism, the federal government does not have a mechanism to formally charge an individual with domestic terrorism, which sometimes makes it difficult (and occasionally controversial) to formally characterise someone as a domestic terrorist."

The Trump administration has broadened the label to include acts such as rioting, looting, threats, and politically motivated campaigns.

In October 2025, during a Chicago immigration operation called Operation Midway Blitz, a Border Patrol agent shot US citizen Marimar Martinez five times.

DHS called Martinez a "domestic terrorist," claiming she rammed a Border Patrol vehicle, carried a semiautomatic weapon, and had a history of doxxing federal agents.

Anti-ICE Protests After Renee Nicole Good's Killing

Thousands protested across the US after 37-year-old Good was shot and killed by ICE officer Jonathan Ross. Activists called for accountability and an end to aggressive immigration enforcement, organising more than 1,000 events over the weekend under the "ICE Out For Good" campaign, as per CNN.

In Minneapolis, thousands marched from Powderhorn Park to the site of Good's death, holding signs and chanting her name. Most protests were peaceful, though some involved minor property damage and arrests. Officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and DHS, condemned violence while saying protesters' right to assembly.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said hundreds more federal agents would be sent to Minneapolis to protect ICE personnel.

Protests also took place in cities including Philadelphia, Portland, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New York City.