Jimmy Kimmel criticized President Donald Trump during his monologue after the president claimed protests in Minneapolis over the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent were “fake.”
During a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Trump attempted to convince attendees that demonstrations following the ICE shooting were staged. Trump said protesters “take hotel rooms and all practice together.”
Kimmel said the protests are real. The late-night host made clear that the Trump administration first wanted Americans to disbelieve what they saw happen to Renee Good, and now wanted them to believe the protests aren’t real.
Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot in the head by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The shooting occurred after Good dropped her child at school. The agent has since been identified as Jonathan Ross.
The Department of Homeland Security said the ICE agent acted in self-defense and accused Good of weaponizing her car. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem called Good a domestic terrorist.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against claims the shooting was an act of self-defense. Video appeared to show Good’s vehicle turning away from the officer when she was shot while driving.
The shooting sparked protests in Minneapolis and across the country. Thousands demonstrated in Minneapolis in 16-degree weather. A candlelight vigil was held at the Minnesota State Capitol.
The Trump administration deployed 2,000 federal ICE agents to Minnesota for a 30-day immigration surge. Trump announced plans to send 1,000 more ICE agents to the state.
Kimmel criticized the Trump administration for icing local authorities out of the FBI investigation into the killing. Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned after the Justice Department pressured them to investigate Good’s widow.
Trump posted on Truth Social about Minnesota on Tuesday morning, January 13. Trump wrote that the day of reckoning and retribution is coming.
During the Detroit speech on Tuesday, Trump also insulted former President Joe Biden. The Trump administration is also pursuing a criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
The escalating situation in Minnesota reflects broader tensions over immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The deployment of thousands of federal agents to a single city for immigration enforcement operations represents one of the largest domestic law enforcement mobilizations in recent years. Federal agents conducting immigration enforcement typically work in coordination with local law enforcement, but the Trump administration’s approach has created friction with Minneapolis officials who have criticized the presence of ICE in their city.
The shooting of Good has intensified debates about the use of force by federal immigration agents and the scope of their authority. ICE agents are authorized to carry weapons and make arrests, but deadly force incidents involving immigration enforcement are relatively rare and typically subject to internal investigation. The characterization of Good as a domestic terrorist by the Department of Homeland Security marks an unusual rhetorical escalation in describing someone who was not charged with any crime before being shot.
The resignation of six federal prosecutors in Minnesota represents a significant protest within the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors typically serve at the pleasure of the president and can be removed, but mass resignations in response to directives from Washington are uncommon. The prosecutors’ decision to resign rather than pursue an investigation into Good’s widow suggests they viewed the directive as inappropriate or potentially unethical.
Late-night television hosts have increasingly used their platforms to comment on political events, with comedians like Kimmel frequently addressing controversies involving the Trump administration. The format allows hosts to blend news coverage with satire, reaching audiences who may not follow traditional news outlets.
The protests in Minneapolis continue as federal agents maintain their presence in the city. Community members have organized demonstrations calling for accountability in Good’s death and opposing what they describe as heavy-handed federal immigration enforcement tactics. The cold weather has not deterred protesters from taking to the streets in one of the largest sustained protest movements the city has seen in recent years.