SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
Dear Cambridge and Somerville Constituents —
For the past four days, we've all witnessed and processed the horrific images of the unjustified killing of Minnesota mom and poet Renee Nicole Good.
My conclusion? The blood of Renee Good is on Donald Trump's hands.
When the President sends undertrained, fascist thugs into local communities to unlawfully abduct and terrorize immigrants — people of good will like Renee Good are going to show up in defense of their neighbors — and when this scenario is repeated often enough, it’s only a matter of time before a horrific killing like this occurs.
It appears armed federal agents gave Ms. Good conflicting instructions — with one agent reportedly telling her to drive away while another told her to get out of her SUV.
Meanwhile, another federal agent placed himself in front of Ms. Good’s vehicle — but law enforcement manuals describe standing in front of a vehicle’s path as a poor and highly risky tactic — and shooting into a moving vehicle is generally forbidden due to the ineffectiveness of the tactic in stopping a vehicle and the risks to the public.
Therefore, these agents didn’t act with any regard for human life or public safety — they’re either total idiots or monsters or both.
When I first saw the videos — I found myself wishing Ms. Good didn’t attempt to drive away when the agent was reaching into her window and ordering her out of the vehicle. This is because I’ve been on the frontlines of similar situations — and one has to be careful not to give these fascist thugs any pretext to kill.
But as noted — she also got conflicting instructions, and it’s reasonable to think she was scared or panicked. She wasn’t actually blocking the road (she waved cars past her), and she was even being friendly to the agent who shot her. Whether you think she reacted in the best way possible or not, her actions should never have been a death sentence.
Not only did the agent who killed Ms. Good violate all basic protocols — he’s literally filming with a phone in one hand while reaching for his gun with his other hand. To my eyes, it looked like he could have got out of the way of the SUV, and it looked like none of his gunshots actually protected him from being struck by the SUV, especially the second and third shots aimed at the driver’s side window. It’s hard not to conclude he was looking for the slightest provocation to execute Ms. Good.
In any other Administration, the shooter would be investigated for murder — but unfortunately, the Trump Administration immediately looked at this senseless killing through their fascist lens and absurdly declared Ms. Good a “domestic terrorist." They are not cooperating with Minnesota officials who are now investigating it themselves.
There needs to be a complete, independent or state-level investigation and full accountability for the agent who killed Ms. Good. And voters need to hold Trump, Vance, and all of MAGA accountable as well.
Yesterday, I attended a vigil and demonstration to mourn the loss of Renee Good and to continue demanding an end to this mass deportation regime.
First, thousands of folks gathered at the State House to say "No War on Venezuela" and "No War on Immigrants and Activists here at home." (For my part, I made a statement in opposition to Trump's illegal attack on Venezuela and his stated plan to run the country for the benefit of U.S. oil companies the day it happened).
Next, we marched to Government Center, where Luce organizers read the names of all 33 people killed by ICE or while held in ICE custody during Trump's second term.
My message to ICE at yesterday's demonstration was clear: Get the f*ck out of Massachusetts (and please go to therapy). After all, most people voted for lower costs in the 2024 election — not this neo-fascist hellscape.
In response to all of this, activist groups in Massachusetts have put out a fresh call for the state legislature to take action. For my part, I am proud to say I continue to be on the leading edge of efforts to protect immigrants — on Beacon Hill, as a co-sponsor of the entire immigrant justice agenda — and here in our community, as an advocate for my constituents who are caught up in the federal immigration system.
In an upcoming email, I will outline in greater detail what we have done in Massachusetts to protect our immigrant neighbors, what more we can do through legislation, budgeting and community-led efforts, and where the constitutional doctrine of federal supremacy limits our power.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns on this or any other matter. Thanks, as always, for being an informed and engaged constituent.
Yours in service,
Rep. Mike Connolly
