MARBLEHEAD — More than 1,000 miles away from the bloodied snow bank, the grieving crowds, and the flower-strewn roadside memorial for ICE shooting victim Renee Nicole Good, hundreds of Marbleheaders gathered Saturday at Glabicky Field to protest the killing of the Minneapolis mother of three by an ICE officer, as well as to honor her life.
“It doesn’t matter that (Good) was 1,500 miles away. Someone from the federal government murdered her,” said Kathleen Curtis, of Marblehead, who was carrying a handwritten sign made from recycled packaging, shiny foil, and a sheet of stationery that read “RIP Renee Nicole Good. We will not forget you.”
North Shore Indivisible’s ICE Out For Good Rally, and the candlelight vigil that followed, was organized by the local chapter of the progressive activist group Indivisible. Approximately 300 people attended the Marblehead event, and tens of thousands more attended ICE Out rallies around the country.
The fatal shooting of the Minnesota mother — a legal citizen — has dominated the nation’s attention and the news cycle since the killing in a residential neighborhood last Wednesday morning, just days after ICE began a broad crackdown on immigration in the Twin Cities.
Federal immigration officials have said the ICE officer was shooting in self-defense of the approaching car, and members of the Trump administration have claimed the victim was entirely responsible for the tragedy.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the actions of the victim constituted “a domestic act of terrorism.” Vice President JD Vance said the victim was to blame and referred to Good as “a deranged leftist.” President Donald Trump posted on X that the ICE officer was run over by the victim’s car.
Critics and Minnesota State officials, however, claim the officer used excessive force and point to videos showing, among other things, the victim turning her steering wheel away from the officer, and two of the three shots being fired through the passenger side window as she was driving away.
Congressman Seth Moulton said he has signed onto a letter with other House Democrats this week demanding a transparent investigation into Good’s death, stopping the surge of federal agents in Minneapolis, and requiring DHS and ICE to fully cooperate with oversight.
“I am already taking action in response to the murder of Renee Nicole Good and the broader pattern of ICE violence in our communities,” Moulton said. “A tragic death like this one demands answers, not secrecy.”
Last month, Moulton introduced the NOEM Act to set standards for when and how federal agents can use force, while also permitting victims of constitutional violations committed by federal immigration enforcement officers to sue those officers.
“I’m also fighting to attach strong conditions to ICE funding: banning routine masking, guaranteeing immediate access for Congress to detention sites, limiting where people can be held, and restoring independent oversight offices so these abuses can’t be buried,” Moulton said.
At the Marblehead rally Saturday, protesters rang bells, blew whistles, cheered as some passing cars beeped in support, and held signs reading “Stop pretending this is normal,” “Impeach Noem,” “Melt Ice,” “Trump for Prison 2026,” “De-Ice the USA,” and “Cages for Pedophiles, Not Immigrants,” among others.
“This is a tipping point,” said Leslie Smith Rosen, co-founder and co-chair of North Shore Indivisible. “The incident at Kent State during the Vietnam War was a tipping point for public opinion against the war. This is one of those moments. This takes all the anger and anxiety people have had, and it’s right there in your face.”
Protesters came from Marblehead, Nahant, Salem, Swampscott, and some from Boston. Marbleheader Ann Murphy said she doesn’t plan to stop attending peaceful protests anytime soon.
“I am gravely concerned about our country,” she said. “The disregard for the U.S. Constitution, court orders, and the buildup of ICE to be a militant organization is frightening. This isn’t my first rally, and I won’t rest until this crisis is over.”
Salem resident Maura Madden waved an American flag in the crowd for the entire length of the event, hoping to honor Good.
“To honor Ms. Good,” Madden said, “is to put yourself out there, and keep up with protesting, and supporting your community and our vulnerable human beings as best as we can.”
The Ice Out For Good Rally ended with a vigil for Good. Protestors held candles, sang “We Shall Overcome,” listened to the Amanda Gorman poem penned for Good, held hands, and closed their eyes for a moment of silence. Though a peaceful moment, it did not ease the worries of many in the crowd.
“It’s sadly just a matter of time before we are in the same situation as Minnesota,” said Murphy, who added that 24 new ICE SUVs appeared at the ICE facility in Burlington last week. “I hope the Commonwealth makes it illegal for ICE goons to mask. I also hope we use all resources available to protect the citizens of Massachusetts.”
