Protesters in Howard County call for justice after deadly ICE shooting
People gathered in Howard County on Sunday, chanting and holding signs, protesting against immigration enforcement agents.
Their "ICE Out For Good" rally at the corner of Broken Land Parkway and Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia comes amid outrage across the country after an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
"I feel like ICE is overextending its authority, and they have no business taking over cities," protester Barbara Caplan said.
Columbia was one of many Maryland communities within the past week to call for ICE to leave the state, while demanding justice for the victims of shootings and attacks involving immigration officers.
Protesters on Sunday told WJZ they hope that all of these rallies will make a difference.
"This is really frightening for all of us, for our civilization," said protester Bob Gardner. "For today, all we are doing is joining forces so that the numbers start to speak to the rest of the world and the rest of the country."
"You can't arrest people just because of how they look, what job they have, or what their accent is," protester Jode added. "We all have a right to be here, and you can't demand proof of citizenship for anyone walking down the street."
ICE officers shoot woman in Minnesota
On Jan. 7, Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, wasn't a target of the ICE Operation when she was shot and killed, according to Minneapolis officials.
Good was a mother of three who recently moved to Minnesota with her 6-year-old son and her partner, according to CBS Minnesota.
Kristi Noem, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary, said ICE officers acted in self-defense. She alleged that Good, "attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle."
Multiple videos circulated online, showing the driver in a maroon Honda Pilot SUV on a residential street when an ICE agent approached and addressed her through the window of her vehicle, as several other agents stood nearby, according to CBS News.
In one of the videos, an officer was heard telling the woman to "get out of the f****** car" before reaching for the vehicle's door handle, CBS News reports, and showed the Honda reversing as another agent stood in front. The driver started to take off when an officer fired three shots, hitting Good once in the head.
Noem said the officer was hit by the car, treated at the hospital, and later released.
The FBI is investigating.
Recent rallies against ICE in Baltimore
Baltimore has had several protests since the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents.
On Friday night, many came together on North Howard Street to pay respects to Good, while calling for justice.
Last Thursday, two groups protested before ultimately meeting at the George H. Fallon Federal Building, which is Baltimore's ICE Field Office. One group met at the federal building while the other started at McKeldin Plaza.
The protest organizers included the Baltimore branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Baltimore Eyes on ICE, Free State Coalition, and Baltimore CPUSA.
