Renee Good’s Brothers Mourn Her, Demand Change in DC Family urges overhaul of DHS

Renee Good’s brothers traveled to Washington this week with a powerful message: their sister’s death at the hands of a federal immigration officer has not yet prompted the change they hoped for. Luke and Brent Ganger spoke Tuesday at a public forum on Capitol Hill, convened by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), as part of an investigation into the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents, according to ABC News.

Other witnesses included a woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago, a U.S. citizen whose car was fired upon by agents in California, and a Minneapolis woman dragged from her vehicle by ICE agents, reports from Politico and NBC News note.

“The deep distress our family feels because of Renee’s loss in such a violent and unnecessary way is compounded by disbelief, desperation, and the urgent need for change,” Luke said. He described the “surreal scenes” on Minneapolis streets involving federal agents as something “changing the community and changing many lives, including ours, forever.”

Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three, was shot and killed in January while sitting in her Honda Pilot on a residential street during an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. DHS officials defended the shooting as self-defense, alleging that Good tried to ram agents and labeling it an act of “domestic terrorism.” Local and state officials have challenged that account. Her death, along with the fatal federal agent-involved shooting of Alex Pretti, has fueled ongoing protests in Minneapolis.

Brent Ganger read from his sister’s eulogy, describing Good as “unapologetically hopeful,” devoted to her children, and someone who made people feel understood. Luke highlighted that their extended family—made up of different faiths and political views—models respectful and loving disagreement.

From the dais, Blumenthal called the hearing “extraordinary and unprecedented,” claiming that Good and Pretti were “murdered by their own government” and “killed in cold blood.” He called for a broad overhaul of DHS policies, including mandatory body cameras for ICE agents, ending the use of masks that conceal officers’ identities, and expanding training and oversight. “These stories are not just about Minneapolis,” he said. “The nation is Minneapolis. We are all Minneapolis. These stories are a call to action.”

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