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The American Trade: An Innocent Woman’s Life For The Guilty Man’s Agenda 

Brooke Coffman Student Contributor, University of Colorado - Boulder
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

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On Jan. 7, 2026, 37-year-old writer, poet, and mother, Renee Good, was shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Immigration and Customs Enforcement — better known as I.C.E. 

Good was blocking traffic in a residential area of Minneapolis in an attempt to disrupt the actions of I.C.E., and was approached by several agents. After a few short minutes of heated interaction between Good and several agents, Good swiftly began to drive her vehicle away as the situation escalated. Before she could fully turn away, I.C.E. agent Jonathan Ross shot Good in the head three times and promptly ended her life. 

Contrary to how the leaders of our executive branch and Homeland Security have painted the details of such a tragedy, this fatal action taken by Ross was, in fact, illegal. 

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) policy on the use of force, DHS law enforcement officers “are prohibited from discharging firearms at the operator of a moving vehicle.” 

Though Good’s actions in attempting to drive away from the scene are being misconstrued as potential vehicular assault towards Ross, the rhetoric that our federal leaders are using to describe such incidents is nothing short of insensitive and inaccurate. 

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the murder of Good on Jan. 11, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Noem referred to Good’s actions of simply driving away to be an example of domestic terrorism that warranted Ross’s extreme use of fatal force. 

Let’s be clear here: this was absolutely not an act of domestic terrorism. According to the FBI, domestic terrorism is defined as an attempt to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population,” “influence the policy of government by intimidation or coercion,” or “affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.” Good did nothing of the sort. 

All across the U.S., citizens are viewing the video footage of Good’s murder. For the sake of Good’s legacy, and for encouraging the abolition of I.C.E., I urge you to slow that video down. It is clear, from any point of view, that Ross fired those fatal shots after he was already out of the way of Good’s vehicle. 

The murder of Good is not an isolated incident. The Trace’s data analysis team notes that in 2026, notably less than half a month into the year, there have been 16 reports of I.C.E officers shooting at civilians across the country. These are not just “warning shots,” which are generally prohibited regardless, but are fatal shootings that are costing the lives of innocent people and forever altering the lives of their loved ones. 

I.C.E. officers are not, by any means, fulfilling some type of prophecy for the rehabilitation of American immigration customs — all they are doing is destroying lives that have been established in America. 

As I urge you to reanalyze the murder of Renee Good, I also urge you not to give so much grace to these wannabe police officers, who have a malicious taste in their mouths for interpersonal despotism. I urge you to find a deeper understanding of how I.C.E. is carrying out a fascist regime’s underlying goal of making America a symbolic advertisement for White-Out. I urge you to resist the behavior that is being normalized, because once upon a time, this was never normal.

Brooke Coffman

CU Boulder '28

Brooke is a sophomore at CU with a major in journalism and minors in political science and women/gender studies! She took a gap year after graduating from high school to pursue her secondary passion for skin care by getting her esthetician license which she received last summer.
Brooke also has a deep love for all things fashion, and holds close a dream of someday being an editor at Interview Magazine. She enjoys writing commentary articles on sociopolitical issues, specifically pertaining to her strong zeal for feminist theory.
This bleeds into her strong passion for activism, whether that be attending protests, signing petitions, or passing along informative posts on social media.
You will often find her sipping on a matcha and listening to an amalgamation of classic rock, disco, funk, and a hint of "modern" pop. Brooke loves to explore her love for music through dancing, going to concerts, and discovering new artists. Her current musical obsessions include Fleetwood Mac, Beyoncé, SZA, and Stevie Wonder.
She also enjoys traveling around the world with family and friends; her favorite spots being Santorini and Budapest.
Brooke's other creative hobbies include sewing, which was heavily ingrained in her upbringing because of her beloved grandmother, and anything that includes the outdoors.
She also enjoys playing volleyball, which she had played competitively from 2nd grade all the way up until her senior year of high school.
Brooke loves finding ways to blend her hobbies and interests together, and hopes to someday do that with her passions for journalism and fashion.