On January 11, 2026, residents, activists, and elected officials assembled outside City Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey, to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed earlier that week by an ICE agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The gathering focused on condemning ICE violence and urging immediate legislative and local action to protect immigrant communities.
The rally was organized by Spirit of Liberation Jersey City, alongside North New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, Knitty Gritty JC, Estamos Unidos, CAIR Action NJ, Party for Socialism and Liberation NJ, and Food Not Bombs JC. Hundreds of attendees filled the area outside City Hall, voicing opposition to deportations, militarized enforcement, and what organizers described as growing fear among immigrants.
Key Takeaways
- A rally was held outside Jersey City Hall on January 11, 2026, following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, in Minneapolis.
- Local and state officials pledged to strengthen sanctuary city policies and advance immigrant protection legislation in New Jersey.
- Speakers detailed expanded ICE enforcement, shared personal accounts of deportation and fear, and highlighted pending bills A6308, A6309, and A6310.
Organizers Address ICE Presence, Federal Power, and Community Harm
Spirit of Liberation organizer Paul Jaigua served as emcee and outlined concerns about the scale and reach of ICE operations. He pointed to ICE’s multi-billion-dollar budget and its coordination with the U.S. military in cities including New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta, while also monitoring sanctuary cities such as Jersey City. Jaigua connected Renee Good’s death to her actions in defense of immigrant neighbors and warned that federal authorities were portraying her in a manner inconsistent with those actions…