Sen. Lankford to Newsmax: Full Video Review Needed in Minneapolis ICE Incident

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., on Newsmax sharply defended federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents involved in a deadly Minneapolis confrontation and criticized Democratic Party opponents who he said are threatening to shut down the government over funding for law enforcement.

Lankford's comments to "Wake Up America" came Thursday as outrage and protests continued in Minneapolis after a 37-year-old woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer on Wednesday during a broad federal immigration operation.

The woman, identified as Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a Minneapolis resident and mother of three, was killed after agents confronted her vehicle, triggering conflicting accounts of what happened.

Federal authorities say the agent fired in self-defense when Good allegedly drove toward officers, but local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, strongly dispute that narrative based on video evidence.

"I was listening to your interview with Chad Wolf. He did a great job articulating the issues and the challenges that are faced by the ICE agents and federal agents in Minneapolis," Lankford said.

He described the situation as an "incredibly painful moment" for ICE agents trying to make sense of the rapidly unfolding events.

Lankford said he is awaiting more complete video evidence to understand what really occurred.

"We have small slices of cellphone video from some of the protesters and such … I'm looking forward to seeing a more fulsome example of what was actually happening," he said.

Lankford emphasized that law enforcement officers "are never looking to take the life of individuals" while also defending their need to protect themselves when faced with perceived threats. He referenced reports that a vehicle repeatedly approached officers during the confrontation, saying such moments are "classic law enforcement" decisions under stress.

His remarks come as tensions over ICE's heightened enforcement actions in Minnesota have spilled into national politics.

A massive multi-agency operation known as "Operation Metro Surge" has deployed more than 2,000 federal agents to the Twin Cities to target alleged benefits fraud and criminal activity. Critics contend the surge has ensnared many without criminal histories and worsened community relations.

Lankford also accused some Democrats of leveraging the controversy to try to derail funding for federal agents and force a government shutdown.

"They've been focused on finding new ways to shut down the government over and over again," he said, asserting that opponents do not want to pay federal agents who serve on the front lines.

He specifically referenced Democrats' pushback against the current administration's immigration enforcement priorities.

While negotiations continue in Congress to avert a potential shutdown looming in less than a month, Lankford reiterated Republican opposition to what he described as efforts by Democrats to use the incident as leverage in budget talks.

He framed the disagreement as part of a broader dispute over priorities in Washington, including immigration enforcement and border security.

The Minneapolis shooting has prompted intense local backlash. Schools in the city canceled classes Thursday as protests against ICE's presence continued, and Frey publicly demanded the agency leave the city.

Lankford said he is awaiting the results of investigations by federal and local authorities before drawing definitive conclusions about the incident, urging lawmakers to focus on facts rather than political rhetoric.

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