For Immediate Release: January 8, 2026
Contact: Heather Cabral, hcabral@faithinaction.org
Washington, D.C. — Faith in Action is outraged and heartbroken by the tragic shooting in Minnesota in which a woman was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. This devastating loss of life is unacceptable and demands immediate accountability, transparency, and a fundamental reckoning with a broken and dangerous immigration enforcement system.
Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director at Faith in Action, said, “This killing represents a profound moral failure and underscores the real and deadly consequences of an increasingly militarized immigration system that operates with too little oversight and regard for human life. What happened in Minneapolis showcases a disturbing pattern in which immigration enforcement relies on force, fear, and violence rather than dignity, due process, and care for communities.
Alex Gonzalez, Faith in Action, shared, “When federal agents are empowered to use deadly force in civilian settings, especially through immigration enforcement that prioritizes escalation over de-escalation, the outcome is predictably dangerous. This fatal use of force, carried out in broad daylight, exposes how unchecked and unaccountable immigration enforcement has become. If this level of violence can happen in public view, we must reckon with what is happening behind closed doors. This moment demands transparency, real consequences, and an end to enforcement practices rooted in fear, force, and impunity”
Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, political director at Faith in Action, added, “As people of faith and moral conscience, we reject policies that treat human beings as expendable. Public safety cannot be built on violence and terror. True safety is rooted in compassion, restraint, and respect for the sacred dignity of every person. State-sanctioned violence is still violence. We grieve this woman’s death stand with our leaders in Minnesota refuse the lie that safety requires bloodshed. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the woman whose life was taken. They deserve answers, justice, and accountability.
This moment must serve as a turning point. Faith in Action urges policymakers to end the normalization of brutality within immigration enforcement and to seek accountability pursue humane, just policies that honor life and uphold fundamental human rights.
###
