Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas delivered an emotional address on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, breaking down in tears as she spoke about the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a Minnesota woman.
Good’s death has triggered protests and heightened scrutiny of law enforcement accountability and immigration enforcement practices under the current Trump administration.
During a heated session of the House Judiciary Committee, Crockett, who has launched an ascendant campaign for the Texas Senate, accused Republican lawmakers of showing a lack of empathy and urgency following the incident, which she described as a case where an ICE agent acted as “judge, jury, and executioner.”
The congresswoman’s remarks came amid deliberations on legislation related to bail funds and criminal justice policy.
“It is so hard to sit here sometimes,” Crockett said, her voice cracking. “I didn’t come to Congress to write laws or do things that hurt people. I’m asking if there is any decency, any heart, any courage on that side of the aisle.”
Crockett repeatedly referenced the death of Good, stating that the woman was shot in the head and that a child had lost her mother. She questioned whether law enforcement officers should be treated as immune from accountability because of their badge, stressing that “no one is above the law.”
The congresswoman drew parallels to past police killings in Minneapolis, including the 2020 death of George Floyd, noting that she worked as a pro bono defense attorney during protests that followed Floyd’s killing. She argued that bail funds—currently under scrutiny by Republicans—play a critical role in preventing poor and working-class defendants from being pushed into deeper poverty while awaiting trial.
As Crockett spoke, the hearing became increasingly tense. Committee members interrupted her multiple times over the use of profanity referenced in video evidence and quotations. At one point, Crockett sharply rebuked the interruptions, asking whether concern over language outweighed concern for a woman who had lost her life.
Despite her plea, the Judiciary Committee chair ruled Crockett out of order when she attempted to formally move for a hearing to investigate the Minnesota shooting and the ICE agent involved. The motion was not recognized, and proceedings moved forward without debate on her request.
Critics of the Republican-led committee later pointed to that decision as emblematic of what they see as a broader unwillingness to scrutinize federal law enforcement conduct, particularly in cases involving immigration enforcement.
While investigations into the Minnesota incident are ongoing and authorities have not publicly released full details surrounding the shooting, Crockett warned that the absence of transparency and accountability could spark nationwide protests.
“There are going to be protests across this country,” she said, “unless there is justice and that officer is prosecuted.”
The episode on the House floor encapsulates deepening partisan divisions over policing, immigration enforcement, and congressional oversight—issues that continue to dominate the U.S. political landscape under Trump.
