At a Glance
- Bruce Springsteen dedicated “The Promised Land” to Renee Nicole Good at a New Jersey concert
- Good was shot dead by an ICE officer during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis
- Springsteen denounced federal agents as “heavily armed, heavily masked federal troops” and compared their tactics to the Gestapo
- Why it matters: The incident has deepened the national divide over immigration enforcement tactics and accountability
Bruce Springsteen blasted federal immigration agents during a Saturday concert, equating their tactics to those of Nazi Germany’s secret police and dedicating a performance to the memory of a Minneapolis woman fatally shot by an ICE officer.
Speaking to a home-state crowd at Light of Day Winterfest at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey, Springsteen dedicated his 1978 anthem “The Promised Land” to Renee Nicole Good, who was killed in a confrontation with federal agents last week.
Springsteen’s Stage Rebuke
Cellphone video of the show, shared by NJ.com, captures Springsteen telling the audience he wrote the song “as an ode to American possibility.” He warned that the nation’s “ideals and values are being tested as it has never been in modern times.”
The rock star painted a stark picture of federal agents in Minneapolis:
- “Heavily armed, masked federal troops invading an American city”
- Using “Gestapo tactics against their fellow citizens”
Springsteen urged concertgoers to send a message to President Donald Trump, echoing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s call: “ICE should get the f— out of Minneapolis.”
Details of the Shooting
Good died after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fired three shots into the SUV she was driving. According to federal officials, Ross was positioned near the front, driver-side corner of the vehicle when it began to pull away. They claim the shooting was defensive, describing the moving SUV as a “potentially deadly weapon.”
Video of the incident shows Good turning the steering wheel away from Ross as she starts to drive. Ross walked away unassisted, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later said he was treated and released from a hospital after being struck by the vehicle. A DHS official told News Of Los Angeles that Ross suffered internal bleeding, without providing further detail.
Noem labeled Good’s actions “domestic terrorism,” and President Trump called Good and her partner “professional agitators,” offering no evidence for the claim.
Local vs. Federal Tensions
Minnesota Democrats have clashed with federal authorities over both the shooting and the subsequent investigation. Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Frey have:
- Condemned the justification for Good’s death
- Questioned why the FBI has excluded local authorities from the probe
- Demanded a role for the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
The Trump administration has denied those requests, prompting Walz to warn that the move “threatens accountability.”
White House Pushback
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson fired back at Springsteen in a statement first published by The New York Times.
“Unfortunately for Bruce, no one cares about his bad political opinions,” Jackson said. She argued that “criminal illegal aliens should be deported” and that “officers have a right to act in self defense if an individual is using their car as a deadly weapon.”
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment Sunday.
Broader Backdrop
Good’s death occurred during a surge of immigration enforcement actions across Minnesota. Viral videos of forceful arrests have fueled public anger, with some residents calling the federal presence an “invasion.” Demonstrators and law enforcement have repeatedly clashed, occasionally turning violent.
Springsteen joins a growing chorus comparing ICE tactics to the Gestapo, including U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and podcaster Joe Rogan. The Gestapo, Nazi Germany’s secret police, were notorious for torture, cruelty, and operating without accountability while facilitating the deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
Family’s Account
Antonio M. Romanucci, attorney for Good’s family and her partner Becca Good, released a statement describing the couple’s final moments. According to Romanucci:
- They had just dropped their 6-year-old at school
- They stopped to observe immigration agents in their neighborhood
- Their intention was “supporting and helping their neighbors”
- Renee “wanted to see a better world for her kids”
Call for Legal Accountability
On stage, Springsteen appealed to those who “believe in the power of the law and that no one stands above it,” urging support for removing federal officers from Minneapolis.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics, with critics demanding transparency and accountability in the investigation into Good’s death.
