Kansas, Missouri lawmakers sharply divided over ICE killing of Renee Good
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas and Missouri lawmakers split sharply over ICE’s killing of Renee Good
- Released video footage drove conflicting narratives and rapid public reaction
- Republican silence prevailed; only Sen. Jerry Moran issued a public response
Hello, Star readers.
Today, we’re examining the sharp partisan divide emerging among Kansas and Missouri lawmakers over the shooting death of former KC resident Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week.
Next, we’ll get into:
• ‘Pure sunshine’: After her death, Good’s wife described her as a beacon of kindness. She said the couple “stopped to support our neighbors” before the ICE officer opened fire.
• High-stakes year: The course of Kansas politics will be shaped for years to come by the decisions voters will make in 2026. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest stories to follow.
This week in politics
Videos shared online show the moments before, during and after an ICE officer fired shots into Good’s Honda Pilot, killing her during a confrontation in Minneapolis last Wednesday.
When he viewed the video, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver saw a senseless killing. In a statement to The Star, Kansas City’s longtime Democratic congressman condemned the shooting as “unnecessary and deeply disturbing.”
“The administration’s immediate inclination to smear the reputation of Ms. Good by labeling her a domestic terrorist before any investigation could occur was incredibly irresponsible and un-American,” Cleaver said.
Across the political aisle, Rep. Bob Onder, a Missouri Republican, had a different take. The first-term lawmaker referred to Good on social media as a “perpetrator” who taunted the ICE officer, ignored “lawful orders,” and slammed her accelerator. He touted the shooting as self-defense.
The Star contacted every member of the congressional delegations in Kansas and Missouri to get their reactions to the slew of videos spreading rapidly online. Only one Republican lawmaker, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, responded.
More from this past week
• Footage filmed by the ICE agent who shot Renee Good was made public in the aftermath of her violent death. Here’s what it shows.
• Is the Missouri GOP dragging out redistricting court cases? Delays bode well for organizers who oppose the push to overturn the state’s gerrymandered congressional map.
• The Kansas City Royals might be running out of options for where to build their next ballpark. One Clay County official has seen enough: “I’m done.”
• What happens if the Chiefs’ STAR bond plan to move to Kansas fails? Experts say it all involves more risk than state officials have let on.
Looking for more?
• For more politics news, follow @bymatthewkelly.bsky.social, @kacen.bsky.social, and @grice1911.bsky.social.
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That’s all for now! See you next week.
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