By Bo Tefu
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — Assemblyman Mike Gipson, D-Gardena, led a “Rallying for Justice” demonstration in Sacramento Jan. 21 challenging federal immigration enforcement over deadly shootings tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Gipson, a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, and other speakers called for more accountability and stronger legislative action.
Gipson’s event at the State Capitol brought together lawmakers, community leaders and activists to protest what they describe as excessive use of force by ICE and other Homeland Security agencies. The rally highlighted two recent fatal incidents involving immigration agents that have drawn national attention and sparked public outcry.
One case involved 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis woman shot and killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7 during a federal operation in Minnesota. Video reviewed by news outlets shows the ICE officer firing multiple shots at Good’s vehicle as she attempted to leave the scene amid a heightened federal presence.
Local leaders and civil rights advocates have disputed the federal claim that the agent acted in self-defense, and the shooting has prompted public protests and legal scrutiny. A federal judge in Minnesota recently issued limits on use-of-force tactics by immigration agents toward nonviolent demonstrators, a decision linked to the fallout from Good’s death.
Another focus of the rally was the death of Keith Porter Jr., 43, who was fatally shot by an off-duty ICE agent in Northridge on New Year’s Eve. Local advocates have urged the Los Angeles Police Department to fully investigate the circumstances of the shooting and pursue charges, saying the family deserves transparency and accountability.
“We are demanding that federal agencies be held to the same standards of justice as every other law enforcement body in this country,” Gipson said at the rally. “Communities deserve safety and accountability, not fear and force.”
Leaders from both legislative houses’ diversity caucuses joined Gipson, underscoring the shared concern over the incidents.
As the rally unfolded, reports emerged of a Customs and Border Protection operation in the Willowbrook neighborhood that included officer-involved gunfire, causing disruption in the community. Gipson condemned the tactics, saying federal enforcement actions have put everyday residents at risk.
The event concluded with a march from the State Capitol to the John E. Moss Federal Building in Sacramento with participants calling for state and federal reforms to immigration policy and enforcement practices. They also urged broader public engagement on the use of lethal force by federal officers.
“We are witnessing a mass movement by ordinary people of conscience who say ‘No’ to the abuses of ICE,” Gipson said. “Everywhere from Minnesota to my own Assembly District, I condemn this administration’s callous disregard for human suffering — and I am outraged to read in the news of two dozen people shot by ICE since Donald Trump’s new term began.”
Bo Tefu is a reporter for California Black Media.
