BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie has offered couched support for ICE as national tensions escalated in the aftermath of a federal agent fatally shooting a Minneapolis woman last week.
Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, told local reporters at his Northampton County district office Monday that last week's death of Renee Good was a "tragic situation," but offered his support for federal law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"When situations are in the heat of the moment, law enforcement has to take proper actions to keep themselves safe. That's what this individual did."U.S. Rep Ryan Mackenzie
"We should recognize our law enforcement. We should also follow their lawful commands," he said. "When somebody is telling an individual from our local community to pull over or pull off, they should be following those instructions.
"When situations are in the heat of the moment, law enforcement has to take proper actions to keep themselves safe. That's what this individual did.
"If that is not the case, if unlawful use of force was utilized, that can play out in the course of an investigation," said Mackenzie, who represents Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
Video footage shows an ICE agent trying to open the driver's door of Good's vehicle as other agents surround her vehicle last Wednesday.
When Good tries to drive away, another officer identified as Jonathan Ross shot her while standing in front of her Honda Pilot.
Good, a U.S. citizen who had recently moved to Minneapolis, died minutes later.
Shooting intensifies political divides
The shooting has intensified political divides as President Donald Trump has sent thousands of ICE agents to patrol major cities across the country as part of his crackdown on illegal immigration.
Trump has criticized many of the targeted communities, including Portland, Oregon, and Minneapolis as sanctuary cities shielding dangerous criminals.
In turn, Trump's critics have accused him of using federal resources to terrorize residents in communities that opposed his political policies.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have demanded that federal authorities remove ICE agents from the state.
Minneapolis has seen its crime rate decrease in recent years, and ICE agents currently outnumber city police by more than 3 to 1.
Law enforcement experts also have questioned ICE's tactics in this instance, noting that officers are trained not to stand in front of vehicles.
Doing so puts the officers at risk and may require officers to use deadly force to protect themselves in situations where it can otherwise be avoided.
Supporting ICE
Mackenzie made border security a key tenet of his 2024 campaign as he defeated Democratic incumbent Susan Wild in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.
He followed through on those campaign promises by supporting the Big Beautiful Bill Act, which funneled billions of dollars into new infrastructure at the U.S.-Mexico border and hiring thousands of more Border Patrol and ICE agents.
ICE currently has a budget of about $30 billion, about three times what it was in 2024.
Mackenzie defended his vote, saying that drastic measures were needed given the porous border at the end of the Biden administration.
He credited ICE agents with taking dangerous criminals off the street in the Lehigh Valley.
