Slaying of Minneapolis mother prompts Asian Americans to join anti-ICE protests

NBC

Asian Americans in Sacramento, CA. joined anti-ICE protests last weekend.

In the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old poet and legal observer Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026, Asian Americans in Minneapolis and beyond are rising up with a clear message: the Donald Trump's regime's "reign of terror" must end.

In Minneapolis, Southeast Asian refugee communities have responded to the January 7, 2026, shooting of Renee Nicole Good with profound grief and organized resistance, viewing the federal crackdown as a return to the trauma of the war-torn lands they fled.

Prominent Vietnamese American poet and activist Bao Phi, a refugee himself, has been a leading voice at rallies. He describes the current atmosphere as a "trauma response," stating, "You see the pattern of both injustice and... callousness that is an echo of things that have happened to many different communities, including ours before."

The City of Minneapolis, which is home to one of the largest Hmong American communities, released safety guidance and updates on the shooting in multiple languages, including Hmong, to ensure these communities are informed as they navigate the heavy federal presence.

Southeast Asian residents have joined tens of thousands of others in marches through south Minneapolis, calling for "ICE out now". Advocacy groups like OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates have explicitly condemned the shooting as "government-sanctioned murder" and likened federal tactics to the "Tiananmen Square Massacre."

Columnists and community members have highlighted the "human cost" of current enforcement, noting that hundreds of Southeast Asians were deported from Minnesota in the year prior, adding to the fear triggered by the shooting. They frame the defense of their neighbors as a moral necessity for a community built on migration.

From the streets of south Minneapolis to solidarity vigils in Los Angeles, Asian American activists are linking this tragedy to a long history of state violence and the specific trauma of refugee communities.

In Rochester, NY, members of the Bhutanese community joined local rallies to show solidarity with Minneapolis, highlighting how the fear of federal enforcement has resonated across the refugee diaspora.

Who was Renee Good?

Here is how the community is responding:

National organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta and various Filipino American groups in Los Angeles have condemned the shooting as a "profound abuse of power". In a shared statement, community leaders declared, "No one should lose their life at the hands of a violent and dehumanizing system... We stand firmly against ICE and all forms of state violence."

“Any loss of life involving those entrusted to uphold the law is very troubling,” stated the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), the largest national affiliation of Filipino American institutions and umbrella organizations, said in a statement. “We believe that violence of this nature can affect any community and threatens the safety of us all.”

On social media, groups like Stop AAPI Hate have reminded followers that constitutional rights apply to everyone, regardless of status. They urged the community to "Report ICE sightings" and "Protect one another," framing the defense of immigrant neighbors as a moral necessity for a community built on migration.

Local residents have expressed visceral disgust at attempts by federal officials to label Good a "domestic terrorist". One Southeast Asian American resident in Minneapolis shared on social media that overhearing any dismissive talk regarding the victim felt "dehumanizing," especially given the recent escalation where federal agents reportedly used chemical weapons near local high schools.

The shooting has forged a unified front in Minneapolis, where tens of thousands have marched to demand that federal agents leave the city. As Bao Phi put it, the community is standing together across lines of race and faith to ensure Renee Good’s name becomes a catalyst for real change.

Speaking at a rally, Phi observed that "history has a way of repeating itself," noting that the same neighborhoods that once offered safety to refugees are now awash in fear because of the overwhelming federal presence.

“This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota, and it must stop,” said State Attorney General Keith Ellison as he announced Monday the state's lawsuit against the Trump regime. “These poorly trained, aggressive and armed agents of the federal state have terrorised Minnesota with widespread unlawful conduct.”

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