Interfaith Alliance Condemns Brutal ICE Killing – Calls for Faith Communities to Reject Authoritarianism and Choose Love, Not ICE

On Wednesday in Minneapolis, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good during an otherwise nonviolent encounter. Video and eyewitness accounts, which show the woman attempting to flee from ICE as they aggressively attempted to enter her vehicle, contradict the Trump administration’s claims that agents acted in self-defense. The killing has intensified outrage and grief across Minnesota and the nation, as calls grow for accountability and an end to ICE crackdowns that are driving fear and putting communities in danger.

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement: 

“This shocking killing is another tragic example of ICE’s brutality, and the deadly consequences of the Trump administration’s reckless and authoritarian immigration crackdown. Our hearts are with the victim’s loved ones and the Minneapolis community, as they grieve and respond to this horrific tragedy.

Wednesday’s shooting is the latest example of what happens when an administration makes dehumanization, aggression, and cruelty the foundation of its agenda. The American people don’t want blood on the streets or armed government forces surrounding our homes, schools, and places of worship. 

Religious leaders and communities now face a fundamental choice: to choose love, not ICE. Across faith traditions, we are called to protect human dignity, care for the vulnerable, and resist systems that thrive on fear. When the Department of Homeland Security attempts to cloak  ICE brutality in divine language, it draws directly from Christian nationalist ideology — one that teaches some human lives matter more than others. It’s an attempt to prime the public to accept violence against those deemed outsiders. People of faith must reject this distortion of religion and refuse to let our faiths be weaponized to serve the authoritarian whims of President Trump.

‍The way forward demands both moral clarity and courageous action. Faith communities must speak out, stand in solidarity with immigrant families, and insist on accountability for this killing and other acts of violent repression.  We will continue to take to the streets in peaceful and principled resistance to authoritarian abuse. Choosing love over ICE is not just a slogan — it is a moral stance rooted in the belief that safety comes from solidarity, not terror, and that our shared future depends on dignity, compassion, and justice for all.”

Contact: Ben DePasquale, [email protected]

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‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

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