A shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis has ignited a firestorm of controversy, extending beyond immediate calls for justice to demands for the agency’s complete dismantling.
Following the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, several academics publicly voiced support for abolishing ICE, framing it not as a radical stance, but as a measured response to a pattern of violence.
Victor Ray, a professor at the University of Iowa, declared abolishing ICE to be the “moderate position,” and directly labeled the shooting a “murder” despite no formal charges being filed.
The emotional intensity surrounding the incident was further amplified by comments from Ken Jennings, the host of Jeopardy!, who expressed support for a future political candidate focused on aggressively prosecuting those in past administrations.
David Karpf, an associate professor at George Washington University, expressed profound disillusionment with the United States, stating on a social media platform that the country often feels undeserving of survival.
Karpf responded to reports from federal agents who claimed to have feared for their lives during the encounter with a stark statement: he wished to see the agent “rot in prison.” He reiterated his initial shock and sadness after viewing video of the incident.
Karpf clarified his use of the term “murder,” emphasizing that his reaction stemmed from witnessing what appeared to be a government agent taking a life, and advocating for immigration enforcement that does not involve lethal force against unarmed citizens.
Seva Gunitsky, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, and a U.S. citizen, echoed the call for accountability, stating that a candidate promising to put ICE agents on trial would earn his vote.
Gunitsky’s language invoked the Nuremberg trials – the post-World War II proceedings against Nazi leaders – a comparison frequently used by left-wing activists to equate ICE agents with perpetrators of atrocities.
He explained that to “Nuremberg” the ICE agents meant to subject them to legal proceedings, but declined to specify what crimes those agents should be accused of.
The University of Toronto acknowledged Gunitsky’s comments but offered no further statement, while George Washington University and the University of Iowa did not respond to requests for comment regarding their employees’ public declarations.
These statements represent a growing sentiment among some academics who view ICE’s actions as inherently unjust and demand systemic change that goes beyond reform, advocating instead for the agency’s complete abolition.
