In a fiery interview outside his former Minneapolis high school, ex-governor and Vietnam veteran Jesse Ventura tore into President Trump over federal immigration raids that culminated in the shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
> At a Glance
> – Jesse Ventura calls Trump a “draft-dodging coward” after ICE fatally shoots Minneapolis woman
> – Roosevelt High canceled classes after Border Patrol agents tackled bystanders and sprayed chemicals
> – Ventura warns Trump’s use of ICE turns the U.S. into a “third-world country”
> – Why it matters: The clash spotlights growing local resistance to federal immigration tactics many see as unconstitutional
Minneapolis remains on edge after Border Patrol agents stormed the area around Roosevelt High on January 7, tackling people and deploying chemical irritants as students left campus. The next day classes were canceled, prompting Ventura-a 1969 graduate-to show up in solidarity.
Ventura: “This Undermines the Entire Constitution”
Ventura, who served as Minnesota’s governor from 1999-2003, praised students and staff for “keeping ICE off this campus.”
> “This is a place of learning… You learn about the Constitution. You learn about warrants… What we’re getting right now is violating all that.”
He argued that federal agents operating without warrants:
- Overstep constitutional limits
- Undermine local law enforcement
- Turn the military on civilians without a national emergency
From Vietnam to “Third-World” America
The former Navy SEAN contrasted his 17 months in Southeast Asia with Trump’s draft deferments.
> “I wasn’t a rich White boy… Most of my friends are Vietnam veterans. We had to go. But the rich White boys never had to go, did they?”
Ventura says the sight of armed federal agents in U.S. cities mirrors dictatorships he witnessed abroad.
| Country | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Philippines | Marcos declares martial law | Soldiers with machine guns on corners |
| Current U.S. cities | Trump deploys ICE/Border Patrol | Military-style policing without emergency |
Bipartisan Support in Minnesota
Though Ventura has run under Reform and Green party banners, he voiced support for Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey for opposing the raids.
> “Good for them and good for these people that stood up… We have to be a country of law and a country of the Constitution.”
He labeled the Republican Party a “domestic enemy to our Constitution” after the January 6 Capitol attack and hinted his anger could pull him back into politics:
> “Maybe it’s time for Jesse… I’m owed a second term.”
Key Takeaways
- Jesse Ventura calls Trump a “draft-dodging coward” over ICE actions
- He says warrant-less federal raids turn America into a “third-world country”
- The ex-governor praises local Democrats for resisting the deployments
- Ventura, 74, is open to running for office again to defend constitutional rights
With tensions high in Minneapolis and beyond, the former governor’s stark warning underscores a national debate over federal authority and civil liberties.
