Pence and Noem Defend ICE Agents After Fatal Minneapolis Shooting

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday night urged caution following the fatal shooting of a motorist who allegedly tried to run over a federal agent in Minneapolis.

Speaking on CNN, Pence defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and called for greater state and local support in immigration enforcement efforts. “This is a moment where I think we need to be careful to rush to judgment in any way,” Pence stated. “In my experience as vice president, I found both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers to be some of the most dedicated men and women in law enforcement.”

Pence emphasized that under Biden administration policies allowing approximately 10 million people to cross the U.S. border, agents face significant challenges. “What I would like to see is more support from local and state officials for ICE agents doing a very hard job,” he added.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared Wednesday night that while any death is “a tragedy,” the shooting was justified. She stated Renee Good, 37, had blocked officers with her vehicle, harassed them throughout the day, and “attempted to run a law enforcement officer over” before being shot.

Pence reiterated that individuals should not obstruct ICE agents: “They ought not be trying to obstruct them as they do their work.” He also stressed respecting law enforcement: “You need to stop. You need to respect law enforcement.”

Pence expressed confidence in resolving the incident, saying, “I’m confident we’ll get to the bottom of what happened here, and the system will work.”