ICE live updates: JD Vance defends five-year-old being detained and blames youngster’s dad

Vice President JD Vance responded to concerns from local police officials, who said Tuesday they’re concerned about “discrimination,” “profiling,” and “civil rights violations,” as ICE operates in the city.

One local police official noted that off-duty officers have been among those targeted by ICE.

“Of course, if somebody violated the law, if somebody is racially profiled, if somebody violated the rights of one of our fellow citizens, that is something we will take very seriously,” Vance said.

“What I also would say is that many of the most viral stories of the past couple of weeks have turned out to be, at best, partially true. So we want to try people based on reality, based on the truth, based on context,” he added.

Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration’s investigation into Renee Good’s killing is ongoing — but added that he does not want the ICE agent involved to be “judged in the court of public opinion.”

Good, a 37-year-old mother, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month

“Of course, we're investigating the Renee Good shooting. But we're investigating them in a way that respects people's rights and that ensures that if somebody did something wrong, yes, they're going to face disciplinary action, but we're not going to judge them in the court of public opinion,” Vance said.

Vice President JD Vance blamed local leaders for what he described as “chaos” in Minneapolis.

“I do not want so many ICE officers in Minneapolis right now. I mean, good lord, it's really, really freaking cold outside. But they're here not even to enforce immigration laws, but to protect the people from the rioters,” he said.

“That's an absurd state of affairs, and we wouldn't need it if we had a little bit more cooperation from the Minneapolis Police Department,” he added. “Again, the Minneapolis Police Department — my understanding is that the actual beat cops on the ground, they would love to help out. But they're being told by somebody — I don't know if it's Mayor Frey — they're being told by somebody not to cooperate at all.”

Vice President JD Vance defended ICE after reports emerged that agents detained a five-year-old boy near Minneapolis earlier this week.

“Well, I do a little bit more follow-up research, and what I find is that the five-year-old was not arrested, that his dad was an illegal alien, and when they went to arrest his illegal alien father, the father ran,” Vance told reporters in Minneapolis.

“So the story is that ICE detained a five-year-old, well, what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America?” he added.

Vance went on to say it’s “heartbreaking” and “traumatic” for children to watch their family members get arrested.

“I saw people in my family get arrested. It's terrible, it's heartbreaking, it's chaotic, it's traumatic for the kids. I can recognize that, and I can recognize that we’ve got to support these kids, while, on the other hand, saying that just because you're a parent doesn't mean that you get complete immunity from law enforcement,” he said.

Vice President JD Vance is speaking now in Minneapolis.

His speech comes just weeks after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, in the city. Vance arrived in Minneapolis earlier this afternoon to meet with ICE agents and other local leaders.

“I wanted to meet with business leaders, with ICE officers, with local law enforcement, to try to understand a little bit better what's going on, so that we can tone down the temperature a little bit, reduce the chaos, but still allow us as a federal government to enforce the American people's immigration laws,” Vance said.

Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Minneapolis to meet with ICE agents and give public remarks.

Here’s what to know about his visit:

Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Minneapolis, where he’s expected to meet with ICE agents before giving public remarks.

A third person has been arrested in connection with the anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church over the weekend.

Attorney General Pam Bondi identified the third person as William Kelly. Earlier Thursday, she announced the arrests of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Louisa Allen.

Renee Nicole Good was shot at least three times during her altercation with an ICE agent in Minneapolis, according to an independent autopsy commissioned by her family.

Lawyers for Good’s family said Wednesday that the report concluded that the 37-year-old had suffered three clear gunshot wounds, one of which had been to her head.

Good was struck on her left forearm, as well as taking another shot to her right breast, though the bullet did not hit any of her major organs. Neither injury would have been immediately life-threatening, the lawyers said.

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