#1766 The Fragility of State Violence: The ICE Occupation, Renee Good, and the Minneapolis Uprising

#1766 The Fragility of State Violence: The ICE Occupation, Renee Good, and the Minneapolis Uprising

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics January 21, 2026 Duration: 3:35:10

Air Date: 1/21/2026

Today we look at ICE's reign of terror as a paramilitary occupation force and the communities pushing back. We'll hear about Renee Goode, an unarmed woman shot dead by federal agents, and Keith Porter, killed by an off-duty agent on New Year's Eve, in addition to historical parallels from Civil-Rights Era Selma, Alabama and the Boston Massacre. The signs of hope here are that the oppressed won those fights and the oppressors were forced to retreat - there's every reason to believe that the same pattern can repeat today.

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Full Show Notes

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: 'We Want This Terror to Stop': Ilhan Omar Calls for ICE to Leave Minnesota - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-13-26

KP 2: Peaceful Vs. Violent Resistance — What's the Answer? - The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel - Air Date 1-9-26

KP 3: ICE Is a Way to Deal With Surplus Males - Therese - Air Date 1-9-25

KP 4: How Do You Share a Country With People Who Reject Reality? - Cy Canterel - Air Date 1-12-26

KP 5: Abolish ICE - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-7-26


(00:46:11) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

From the Boston Massacre to Renee Good: How the State Demonizes Its Victims


DEEPER DIVES

(00:46:37) SECTION A: IT'S ALWAYS BEEN RACISM

A1: Trump Wants To 'Ethnically CLEANSE' America: Rep. Frost to Mehdi - Zeteo - Air Date 12-19-26

A2: Making Sense of This Moment | Explainer - Heather Cox Richardson - Air Date 1-8-26

A3: "Stolen From Us": Family Demands Justice for Keith Porter, Black Father Killed by Off-Duty ICE Agent - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-26

A4: Black Folks Have Been Warning Us - Elliot Sang Again - Air Date 1-13-26


(01:22:43) SECTION B: ICE ABUSES PEOPLE

B1: How Trump's Deportation Campaign Is Reshaping Small Town America - Bloomberg Originals - Air Date 12-1-25

B2: Where ICE Has Taken The Most People | On The Grid - WIRED - Air Date 10-8-25

B3: Why the US Is Deporting so Many People - Johnny Harris - Air Date 10-31-25


(01:50:19) SECTION C: POLICE ARE A DOMESTIC MILITARY

C1: ICE Is Evolving Into an Extrajudicial Army. Dr Richard Wolff Explains How - The Real News Network - Air 1-12-26

C2: How America Turned Its Police Into an Army - New Economic Thinking - Air Date 2-28-18

C3: Secretive Border Patrol Program Is Detaining US Citizens for 'suspicious' Travel - Associated Press - Air Date 11-19-25

C4: Why Americas Police Look Like Soldiers - Vox - Air Date 6-25-20


(02:09:52) SECTION D: REVOLUTION

D1: Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero Part 1 - Upstream - Air Date 1-7-26

D2: More Americans Are Saying the Quiet Part Loud: They Want a Revolution - The Humanist Report - Air Date 1-14-26

D3: Can Anyone Stop ICE? - Today, Explained - Air Date 1-14-26


(02:38:44) SECTION E: ICE IS ABOUT PROJECTING POWER

E1: Will ICE Get Away With This? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 1-15-26

E2: ICE Can Hack Your Phone Without You Knowing - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 9-5-25

E3: 'STUNNING': Trump's DOJ Won't Investigate ICE Shooting, Prompting Outrage and Resignations - The Briefing with Jen Psaki - Air Date 1-13-26

E4: "ICE Is OK with Renee Good's Killing": Journalist Ken Klippenstein on ICE Tactics & Recruitment - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-14-25


(03:10:48) SECTION F: WHAT COMES NEXT?

F1: Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero Part 2 - Upstream - Air Date 1-7-26

F2: Governor Walz Addresses Ongoing Federal Presence in Minnesota - Office of the Governor of Minnesota - Air Date 1-14-26

F3: Minnesota Is A Training Ground For Whats To Come - Leeja Miller - Air Date 1-12-26


SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Photo of ICE in Minneapolis neighborhood facing a group of residents.

Credit: "ICE agents in Minneapolis after shooting" by Chad Davis, Flickr | CC by 4.0

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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