Elected Democrats in Minnesota have yet to publicly address the multiple murders carried out by undocumented immigrants over the years. This contrasts sharply with their prompt response to the recent death of a woman, who was shot after reportedly driving her car at federal agents during an ICE operation.
On January 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were executing targeted immigration enforcement in Minneapolis when they arrested a woman named Renee Good. Officials claim she aimed her SUV towards the officers, which led to an ICE officer firing their weapon. This action was classified as a defensive measure by federal authorities. Footage presented shows Good speeding towards the officer, ultimately resulting in her death from gunshot wounds to various parts of her body. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred to this incident as “domestic terrorism.”
Amid the incident, Minnesota’s Democratic leaders have directed their criticism towards ICE, seemingly disregarding the plight of victims harmed by individuals residing in the country illegally. A review of public records shows no statements on the matter from Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, or other officials regarding past fatal events linked to undocumented immigrants.
One tragic example is the 2024 death of Victoria Harwell, a mother who perished in a DUI crash. The driver, Adriano Langari Inga, who is an Ecuadorian detained by ICE, had been released from jail despite federal requests for his detention. Inga later faced arrest by ICE after evading legal proceedings. Officials criticized local authorities for not cooperating with federal immigration efforts due to policies in sanctuary cities.
In another case, a 16-year-old boy named Clarice Grime was killed in Colorado in 2012 by Carlos Viveros, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Viveros, who lacked a valid Minnesota driver’s license, was sentenced to over five years in prison after also injuring another pedestrian in the incident.
Additionally, the Patel family tragically lost their lives trying to cross the U.S.-Canada border during a snowstorm in 2022. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, an Indian national, received a 10-year prison sentence for his role in a smuggling scheme that led to these deaths and was subsequently deported after serving his time.
Other violent crimes committed by undocumented individuals include the 2015 murder of a 90-year-old farmer in Minnesota, Count Orlander. Two men were convicted and sentenced to 25 years behind bars, while facing imminent deportation afterward. There was also the horrific case in 2018 of Alexis Savorit Virtores, a Cuban national accused of beheading his girlfriend in Shakopee, and another individual, Díaz-Carvajal, who fatally stabbed his ex-girlfriend in Minneapolis after re-entering the country illegally following a prior deportation.
In response, Minnesota’s ICE operations aim to detain 2,500 foreign criminals linked to serious offenses. The DHS mentions that 1,360 detainees are currently held, yet risk release due to local noncooperation. Recently, ICE apprehended individuals with histories of severe crimes, including murder and domestic abuse. Among those arrested were Hien Quoc Thai, who had a murder conviction, and Brian An Giane, with multiple assault charges.
Despite these incidents, local leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to sanctuary city policies. In December 2025, the Minneapolis City Council extended rules protecting undocumented immigrants by limiting city employee cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and restricting ICE’s access to city resources during their operations.
Meanwhile, officials from the federal government, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, are urging Minnesota leaders to collaborate with federal enforcement. McLaughlin notably argued to Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Walz that it was “common sense” to prevent the release of criminals who pose risks to public safety.
Former President Donald Trump also expressed concern, stating that obstructing immigration enforcement could prompt the deployment of U.S. military personnel. He cautioned that if Minnesota’s leadership fails to uphold the law, he would invoke the Insurrection Act to take action against those opposing ICE operations.
Simultaneously, the Department of Justice has initiated a federal investigation into Governor Walz and Mayor Frey for allegedly attempting to impede immigration enforcement activities.
