New York Gov. Hochul demands answers on whether ICE agent who killed Renee Good has been sent to New York
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has written to White House border czar Tom Homan demanding confirmation on whether ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, has been reassigned to New York.
Hochul wrote to White House border czar Tom Homan and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin seeking confirmation on whether ICE agent Jonathan Ross is now working in New York.
In the letter, Hochul said she was troubled by reports that Ross had been quietly reassigned to another state after being placed on administrative leave for just three days following the shooting.
Hochul said Ross should be "immediately removed" and not redeployed unless cleared after a full, independent investigation. "I have no confidence that Ross can be trusted to safely interact with the public," she wrote. "Nor should you."
The shooting happened on Jan. 7 at East 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Minnesota. Renee Good was driving a Honda Pilot when she and her partner encountered ICE agents. Good stopped the vehicle and her partner got out to film the agents while Good remained inside.
The ICE officer who fatally shot Renee Good, identified in court documents as Ross, walked by the driver's side window of the Honda and filmed with his cell phone, the motion said. He later walked in front of the vehicle and Good began to turn the vehicle away from Ross, according to the court document, and slowly drove forward. Ross then drew his gun and fired "at least three times" at Good.
Hochul described Good as a mother of three and said the killing was part of a broader pattern of what she called unchecked power and systemic abuse by federal agents. She also cited other cases in her letter, including the killing of Alex Pretti and the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam in Buffalo, New York.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to tell Hochul where Ross is currently serving. A spokesperson cited safety concerns for agents, saying that "thanks to the malicious rhetoric of sanctuary politicians, they are under constant threat from violent agitators."
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backed Hochul's position.
"Agent Ross should be held accountable for the egregious killing of Renee Good, not being transferred to New York or anywhere else," Schumer said in a statement. "Democrats will keep fighting so that Trump's out-of-control ICE and CBP can be reined in and be made to adhere to the same common-sense guardrails that govern the behavior of all other police forces in America."
Hochul has also been pushing the state legislature to pass a package of bills that would ban local police from assisting ICE agents in civil immigration enforcement and prevent agents from wearing masks. She said the bills are a direct response to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, her Republican opponent, whom she accused of encouraging his officers to cooperate with ICE.
