Family of Renee Good sues US government and officials over fatal ICE shooting

The family of Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in January, has filed two federal civil lawsuits against the US government, the agent involved and senior government officials.

The lawsuits were filed on Thursday (1 October), nearly nine months after Good was killed during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis known as Operation Metro Surge.

Her brother, Brent Ganger, and partner, Becca Good, are the plaintiffs. Ganger is acting as trustee for Good's next of kin, including her three children.

One lawsuit names the United States as the sole defendant, while the second names several federal officials and agents, including the ICE officer who shot Good, Jonathan Ross, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and former Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.

The family's lawyers said the lawsuits seek damages over Good's death and alleged violations of her constitutional and civil rights.

Lawsuits allege excessive force and civil rights violations

The first complaint alleges wrongful death and other claims arising from the shooting. It says Good was subjected to excessive force and that the actions of federal agents violated constitutional protections and US Department of Homeland Security rules governing the use of force.

The second lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to interfere with civil rights. It names individual federal officials and immigration enforcement personnel and alleges that Operation Metro Surge involved discriminatory enforcement and the use of excessive force against people observing or protesting the operation.

The allegations in the complaints have not been established in court.

The family is seeking financial damages for Good's alleged suffering before her death, the losses suffered by her children and other relatives, and the emotional and physical injuries allegedly suffered by Becca Good, who was present during the shooting.

The complaints also seek punitive damages against individual defendants.

Good was shot during immigration operation

Good was killed on 7 January 2026 in south Minneapolis during the federal government's immigration enforcement operation.

According to video of the incident cited in local reporting, Good was inside a vehicle while her wife was also present. ICE agent Jonathan Ross approached the vehicle before Good drove away. Ross fired three shots, killing Good. Ross has said he acted in self-defence, while federal authorities have defended the agent's actions.

The incident occurred amid protests against the deployment of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, a city with a large Somali-American population.

Good and her wife had been involved in protests opposing the federal enforcement operation. Her death subsequently became a focus of demonstrations and political debate over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies.

Two weeks later, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen and nurse, was also fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. The two deaths intensified protests against the federal deployment.

Family says there has been no accountability

Becca Good spoke publicly at a Minneapolis news conference on Thursday, describing her wife as loving, funny and intelligent.

“Renee believed in something simple: that being good can change the world,” she said, according to the family's lawyers.

Good's brother, Brent Ganger, also criticised the lack of what he described as accountability and a full investigation into his sister's death.

The family's lawyers said the legal action was intended to seek information and accountability through the federal courts.

Minnesota authorities have separately sought access to evidence relating to the shootings of Good and Pretti. Minnesota filed a federal lawsuit in March against the US Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security over access to evidence needed for its own investigations. A federal judge subsequently ordered the government to provide evidence for private court review.

Federal authorities defend agent's actions

The federal government and its officials have disputed the allegations surrounding the shooting.

Ross has maintained that he acted in self-defence. The Department of Homeland Security also previously defended the conduct of federal agents involved in the incident.

The new lawsuits will now proceed through the federal court system, where the allegations and the government's response will be considered.

The cases represent separate civil proceedings from the ongoing investigations into Good's death and do not themselves establish liability by the government, ICE or the individual defendants.