JD Vance labels Minnesota shooting victim’s death 'tragedy', Mike Pence calls it 'cautionary tale'
WASHINGTON, DC: Senior Republican leaders are drawing sharp reactions after commenting on the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an enforcement operation in Minnesota.
As investigations continue, the remarks have intensified an already heated national debate over immigration enforcement, accountability, and the use of force.
JD Vance defends ICE, blames victim’s actions
Vice President JD Vance shared his thoughts on Wednesday, Jan 7, calling Good’s death “a tragedy of her own making” in a post on X.
Correct. You can accept that this woman's death is a tragedy while acknowledging it's a tragedy of her own making.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 8, 2026
Don't illegally interfere in federal law enforcement operations and try to run over our officers with your car. It's really that simple. https://t.co/4k4KFjfsRZ
He recognized the loss but put the blame on her actions during the ICE operation.
“You can accept that this woman's death is a tragedy while acknowledging it's a tragedy of her own making,” he wrote.
He also offered unequivocal support for federal immigration agents involved in enforcement actions. “Don't illegally interfere in federal law enforcement operations and try to run over our officers with your car. It's really that simple.”
He then wrote another post on X saying, “I want every ICE officer to know that their president, vice president, and the entire administration stands behind them.”
I want every ICE officer to know that their president, vice president, and the entire administration stands behind them.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 8, 2026
To the radicals assaulting them, doxxing them, and threatening them: congratulations, we're going to work even harder to enforce the law.
“To the radicals assaulting them, doxxing them, and threatening them: congratulations, we're going to work even harder to enforce the law.”
Mike Pence urges support for ICE agents
Mike Pence stood by the ICE officers, too, though he sounded a bit more careful in his interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
Former Vice President Mike Pence responds to the new White House website blaming Capitol Police over Jan. 6th: "I I think it's very offensive that the White House used taxpayer dollars and a taxpayer website to blame Capitol Hill police for what happened on Jan. 6th." pic.twitter.com/WrkT1F1Qrs
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 8, 2026
Pence said the whole thing shows how much state and local leaders need to support these officers.
He said he wants to see “more support from local and state officials for ICE agents doing a very hard job.”
“I also think today should be a cautionary tale that people ought not to, as reports in this case suggest, people ought not to be harassing ICE officers,” he said.
"They ought not to be trying to obstruct them as they do their work. And in any case, that you deal with law enforcement, as I learned from the time I was a little boy, when a police officer tells you to do something, you need to do it,” Pence continued with Collins. "You need to stop. You need to respect law enforcement. And I think those are some of the lessons of today. But I'm confident we'll get to the bottom of what happened here, and the system will work."
Witnesses at the scene have said the victim did not appear to be driving aggressively and described what they saw as an unnecessary escalation that ended in deadly force.
