Joe Scarborough says videos of ICE 'dragging' Minneapolis protesters look like Putin’s Russia

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough issued a stark warning this week, saying newly released footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arresting protesters in Minneapolis resembles scenes associated with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The comments came as federal authorities increased their presence in the city following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an ICE operation last week, an incident that has intensified protests and national scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics.

Joe Scarborough reacts to ICE footage on ‘Morning Joe’

During Wednesday’s broadcast, 'Morning Joe' aired clips showing ICE agents detaining protesters, pulling individuals from vehicles, and smashing car windows as unrest continues to grow in Minneapolis.

Scarborough, visibly disturbed by the footage, asked New York Times columnist and former constitutional lawyer David French to help him “understand” what he was seeing, describing the images in blunt terms.

“I see these people being dragged in the street, I see masked people coming up demanding papers, I see a guy sitting in a gas station parking lot and ICE officers breaking the window and then dragging him out and putting their knee on his back,” Scarborough said on air.

‘This looks like Russia,’ Joe Scarborough says

Drawing historical parallels, Scarborough said the scenes unfolding in Minneapolis were reminiscent of authoritarian crackdowns.

“This looks like Russia. It really does,” he said. “This looks like something that you would expect in Russia… this is what America looks like for protesters.”

Scarborough emphasized that the arrests appeared to target demonstrators rather than violent criminals, contrasting the scenes with the country’s democratic ideals.

“We always looked at what happened to the Soviet Union and what happened in Putin’s Russia and thought, ‘How could that ever happen?’” he added. “And now we’re watching it.”

Renee Good shooting fuels unrest

The remarks follow the killing of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot through the windshield of her car during a confrontation with ICE agents early Wednesday morning last week.

Video from the scene shows agents surrounding Good’s vehicle as it blocked a roadway. Officers appeared to pull at the doors and shout commands before the vehicle moved slightly forward. Moments later, an officer fired multiple shots.

Federal officials have said the agent acted in self-defense, while the incident has sparked widespread protests and demands for accountability from local and national leaders.

Federal response escalates tensions

In response to the protests, the Trump administration deployed additional federal officers to Minneapolis, citing concerns about officer safety and public order. The deployment aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader mass deportation policy and expanded immigration enforcement efforts.

Scarborough criticized what he described as the normalization of aggressive tactics, saying people were lining up for jobs that involved masking their identities and forcibly detaining civilians.

“We’ve got people lined up for this job to put masks on, to go in, to break people’s windows and drag them out of their cars, shove them to the ground and cuff them,” he said.

David French, responding to Scarborough, noted that the images raise serious constitutional questions about due process, protest rights, and the use of force by federal agencies.