A disturbing picture is emerging surrounding the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman fatally shot during an encounter with ICE agents. She was a member of Minnesota ICE Watch, a group now under scrutiny for distributing a manual detailing how to physically interfere with law enforcement during arrests.
The guide, circulated on the group’s Instagram account, doesn’t simply advocate for observation or peaceful protest. It frames each intervention as a “micro-intifada” – a term loaded with political and historical weight – and provides explicit, step-by-step instructions on confronting and even assaulting officers.
Minnesota ICE Watch identifies itself as a collective resisting federal immigration enforcement and “colonial militarized regimes.” Their focus is on documenting and disrupting the work of ICE and other law enforcement agencies, operating with a clear agenda of opposition.
Neighbors report Good regularly attended meetings and received what they described as “thorough training” from the group. This training appears to have included the tactics outlined in the controversial manual, preparing members for direct physical confrontation with authorities.
The manual details four specific tactics, ranging from techniques for forcibly removing someone from police custody – including advice on grip strength and explosive power – to suggestions for “pushing and pulling” officers off of arrestees. It acknowledges the risk of assault charges but rationalizes physical intervention as justifiable in the face of perceived “repression.”
Beyond direct physical interference, the guide encourages opening doors of police vehicles to release suspects, even admitting this could be a crime. It also advocates for surrounding officers and chanting demands for release, aiming to overwhelm them with pressure.
The manual explicitly states that arrest can have “drastic negative life altering affects” for certain populations, justifying the risks associated with intervention. It frames “de-arrests” not just as rescues, but as acts of rebellion capable of inspiring wider resistance.
Authorities state Good attempted to use her vehicle as a weapon, deliberately ramming towards ICE agents. An agent responded by firing three shots, acting in what the Department of Homeland Security described as self-defense and defense of others.
The incident has ignited widespread protests, but U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security has labeled Good’s actions as an act of “domestic terrorism,” firmly defending the agent’s response as justified given the immediate threat.
The revelations about the ICE Watch manual raise serious questions about the group’s ideology and the potential for escalating confrontations with law enforcement. It paints a troubling picture of a movement actively preparing its members for physical resistance, with potentially dangerous consequences.
