South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem confirmed during a televised interview on Sunday that federal authorities are reviewing a shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent. The acknowledgment came during a tense interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, where host Margaret Brennan repeatedly questioned the governor regarding her public defense of the agent while the matter remains under investigation.
The shooting involves ICE Special Agent Renee Good, who was off-duty and dressed in civilian clothing at the time of the incident. According to Noem, the agent was performing a second job as a waitress when the confrontation unfolded. Noem asserted during the broadcast that the agent feared for her life and discharged her weapon in self-defense.
“She is an ICE agent who was working a second job as a waitress, was in fear for her life, and it was a self-defense situation,” Noem said. When Brennan asked how she could speak conclusively about the circumstances, Noem replied that she had been briefed on certain aspects of the case and was “aware of details.”
ICE officials later confirmed that the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has opened a formal review – a standard procedure in any shooting involving an ICE employee. According to reporting on the matter, the agent has not been placed on administrative leave during the ongoing examination.
During the interview, Brennan challenged Noem’s decision to publicly defend the agent before investigators release their findings. Brennan questioned whether such commentary from a sitting governor was appropriate given the early stage of the review. Noem responded that she was supporting both the agent personally and law enforcement officers more generally, arguing that officers are often forced to make decisions under life-threatening conditions.
The conversation unfolded as broader national debates on immigration enforcement, border policy, and federal-state cooperation continue to influence political discourse. Noem has long aligned herself with federal immigration enforcement efforts and has been vocal in her support of ICE operations.
As of this week, no official determinations regarding legal responsibility or policy violations have been made public. The OPR review is continuing, and federal authorities have not announced a timeline for its completion.
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