WSSNews | Volume 39 No. 45

WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Assemblymember Mike Gipson Holds "Rallying for Justice" Event Challenging ICE for Shootings

Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Car- son) on Jan. 21 led a "Rallying for Justice" demonstration in Sacramento challenging federal immigration enforcement over deadly shootings tied to U.S. Immigration and Cus- toms Enforcement (ICE).

Gipson, a member of the California Legisla- tive Black Caucus, and other speakers called for more accountability and stronger legisla- tive action.

Gipson's event at the State Capitol brought together lawmakers, community leaders, and activists to protest what they describe as ex- cessive use of force by ICE and other Home- land Security agencies. The rally highlighted two recent fatal incidents involving immigra- tion agents that have drawn national attention and sparked public outery.

One case involved 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis woman shot and killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7 during a federal op- eration in Minnesota. Video reviewed by news outlets shows the ICE officer firing multiple shots at Good's vehicle as she attempted to leave the scene amid a heightened federal pres- ence. Local leaders and civil rights advocates have disputed the federal claim that the agent acted in self-defense, and the shooting has prompted public protests and legal scrutiny. A federal judge in Minnesota recently issued limits on use-of-force tactics by immigration agents toward nonviolent demonstrators, a de- cision linked to the fallout from Good's death. Another focus of the rally was the death of Keith Porter Jr., 43, who was fatally shot by an off-duty ICE agent in Northridge, Los Ange- les, on New Year's Eve. Local advocates have urged the Los Angeles Police Department to fully investigate the circumstances of the shooting and pursue charges, saying the fam- ily deserves transparency and accountability.

"We are demanding that federal agencies be held to the same standards of justice as every other law enforcement body in this country," said Gipson at the rally. "Communities de- serve safety and accountability, not fear and force." Leaders from both legislative houses' diversity caucuses joined Gipson, underscor-

By Bo Tefu California Black Media

LICE ICE ing the shared concern over the incidents.

As the rally unfolded, reports emerged of a Customs and Border Protection operation in the Willowbrook neighborhood that involved officer-involved gunfire, causing disruption in the community. Gipson condemned the tac- tics, saying federal enforcement actions have put everyday residents at risk.

The event concluded with a march from the State Capitol to the John E. Moss Federal Building in Sacramento with participants call- ing for state and federal reforms to immigra- tion policy and enforcement practices. They also urged broader public engagement on the use of lethal force by federal officers.

"We are witnessing a mass movement by or- dinary people of conscience who say 'No' to the abuses of ICE," said Gipson "Everywhere from Minnesota to my own Assembly District, I condemn this Administration's callous disre- gard for human suffering - and I am outraged to read in the news of two dozen people shot by ICE since Donald Trump's new term began."