‘Small act of defiance’: Jon Stewart reacts to allegation Renee Good tried to run over ICE agent

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Television host Jon Stewart found himself at the center of an online debate this week after comments he made about the fatal shooting of Renee Good during a federal immigration enforcement operation resurfaced and spread widely across social media.

He said that trying to run over a federal agent is a “small act of defiance”.

The remarks, following the release of multiple video clips, focused on Stewart’s characterization of Good’s actions and the broader context of protest, law enforcement authority, and perceived overreach.

Viral clip revives discussion around Renee Good's shooting

The clip, shared by several media outlets, features Stewart discussing resistance to law enforcement while addressing the broader climate surrounding immigration enforcement and protest movements.

In the segment, Stewart spoke about video footage from the Minneapolis incident involving Good, a Minnesota mother who was shot and killed on January 7 during a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.

“When I look at that video, I don’t see both sides in a dogmatic stance,” Stewart said. “I see a woman, maybe naive, sitting in a car thinking she has to do something and she’s going to block something, and a wildly extreme overreaction to that small act of defiance.”

Stewart’s comments quickly drew attention online, particularly because they appeared to frame Good’s actions as a symbolic protest rather than a direct physical threat. 

Stewart addresses claims of radicalization and terrorism

During the same discussion, Stewart also responded to statements made by the Department of Homeland Security, which described Good as a domestic t*******t following the incident.

“And then, like, I just - when they say, like, she was radicalized, I just think, well, there are masked gunmen in her neighborhood who she’s read about taking 17-year-old kids and pulling them off the street,” Stewart said.

“That wasn’t - it didn’t feel like - I’m used to - I know what a t*******t attack looks like,” he added.

Those remarks further fueled online discussion, with supporters and critics alike weighing in on how protest actions should be defined and labeled in politically charged environments.

Federal authorities outline use-of-force standards

According to ICE officials, the agent involved in the shooting fired his weapon after perceiving Good’s vehicle as an imminent threat. Federal authorities have stated that the use of a vehicle against an officer is considered potentially lethal force under law enforcement standards.

Multiple video angles from the scene, along with witness accounts, show that the federal agent was struck by Good’s vehicle during the encounter.

Law enforcement agencies nationwide frequently cite the use of a vehicle in this manner as justification for the use of deadly force in split-second decisions.

Officials have emphasized that the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, and no final determinations have been announced regarding whether departmental policies were violated.