By Trendsetter Tribune 
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned “defiant protesters” will not be tolerated as anti-ICE demonstrations spread nationwide following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is drawing a hard line as protests over the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a Minnesota mother of three killed by a federal immigration agent, ripple across the United States — declaring that Texas will respond with force if demonstrators cross what he calls the line between protest and defiance.
“Texas is not Minnesota,” Abbott wrote Saturday on X, adding in a follow-up post that the Texas Department of Public Safety is “not putting up with defiant protesters.”
The comments came as demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) erupted in cities nationwide following Wednesday’s killing of Good, who was shot three times by an ICE agent during an operation in Minneapolis.
A Killing That Sparked a National Flashpoint
Court documents identify the agent who fired the fatal shots as Jonathan E. Ross, an ICE officer operating under the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement strategy. Good, 37, was killed while inside her vehicle during the encounter.
Almost immediately after her death, administration officials described Good as an “anti-ICE agitator” and alleged — without providing evidence — that she was part of a “broader left-wing network.” The Department of Homeland Security went further, labeling her actions “an act of domestic terrorism.”
Local officials in Minnesota forcefully rejected those claims.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the administration’s narrative “b****,” while Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged the public not to accept what he described as federal propaganda.
“Don’t believe this propaganda machine,” Walz said in response to DHS statements.
Protests Spread — And Texas Moves to Suppress Them
Since Wednesday, protests have broken out across the country, including in Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, and other states. In Texas, demonstrations opposing ICE operations and the killing of Good emerged in multiple cities, with Austin becoming a focal point.
On Saturday night, police detained several protesters in Austin during anti-ICE demonstrations, according to a CBS Austin reporter on the scene. The reporter said public safety officers fired multiple rounds of an “unknown object” — believed to be pepper balls — into the crowd as tensions escalated.
Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said state officers were deployed to “maintain public order and ensure public safety,” emphasizing that peaceful protest would be respected — but with strict limits.
“We will not allow demonstrators to block roadways, damage property, or allow violence to spiral,” Olivarez said.
Abbott’s warning, however, suggested far less tolerance.
“Not Putting Up With Defiant Protesters”
Abbott’s social media posts were widely interpreted as a signal that Texas would take a more aggressive posture than other states confronting similar demonstrations.
“Texas Department of Public Safety not putting up with defiant protesters,” Abbott wrote, reinforcing his earlier statement that Texas would not follow Minnesota’s approach.
Civil liberties advocates quickly raised concerns that the governor’s language blurred the line between lawful protest and criminal behavior, potentially chilling First Amendment activity.
The Texas Department of Public Safety later insisted it supports peaceful assembly, but emphasized that violence, threats, obstruction of roadways, or property damage would not be tolerated.
Political Lines Harden Over ICE
The protests have intensified scrutiny of ICE’s conduct under President Donald Trump, particularly as video evidence and eyewitness accounts challenge the administration’s version of events surrounding Good’s death.
Some Democrats have openly discussed cutting funding for the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that ICE operations have grown reckless and dangerous.
“Kristi Noem has sent ICE into our communities not to keep anyone safe, but has caused chaos and harm, and even death,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX), referring to the DHS secretary.
Noem pushed back strongly on Sunday, accusing Minnesota officials of escalating tensions.
“Mayor Frey and Governor Walz have inflamed the situation and politicized the shooting,” Noem said on CNN. “These sanctuary cities such as Minneapolis are extremely dangerous for American citizens.”
Walz rejected that framing.
“We’ve been warning for weeks that the Trump administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety — that someone was going to get hurt,” Walz said. “Donald Trump and his administration may not care much about Minnesota, but we love this state.”
Violence Beyond Minnesota
The controversy deepened after two people were shot by an immigration agent in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday in a separate incident, raising further questions about ICE use-of-force standards nationwide.
ICE defended its mission in a statement, saying it arrests “criminal illegal aliens” to make communities safer and accused Minnesota leaders of putting residents at risk through sanctuary policies.
Federal Investigation Looms
The FBI is now leading the investigation into the Minnesota shooting, removing local law enforcement from a central role — a move that has sparked further criticism from state and city officials.
The outcome of that investigation is expected to shape not only the future of the Renee Good case, but also the broader national debate over ICE accountability, protest rights, and the expanding role of federal immigration enforcement.
For now, Abbott’s message is clear: protests that may be tolerated elsewhere will be met with force in Texas.
And as demonstrations continue to spread, the clash between federal immigration policy, state power, and public dissent is only intensifying.