Border czar Tom Homan said that ICE shooting victim Renee Nicole Good’s actions before her death “certainly could fall within that definition” of domestic terrorism. However, he failed to say exactly what she did that could warrant that label.
Homan was pressed by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker about the Trump administration’s claims that Good was a “domestic terrorist.” The anchor asked the border czar point-blank if any person protesting ICE would be considered a domestic terrorist. The White House advisor turned to the dictionary for his answer.
“It’s a case-by-case basis but if you look up the definition of terrorism, is there violence? Is there a threat of violence based on an ideology that wants to change the way the government does what we do?” he said. “Look up the definition of terrorism.”
Welker asked if homeland security secretary Kristi Noem was justified in calling Good a domestic terrorist. Homan hedged, saying he doesn’t know what others know but that “what they did was illegal,” seemingly in reference to Good. He doubled down on his strategy of citing the dictionary when grilled further about whether officials had evidence that Good was engaging in domestic terrorism.
“I don’t know what the secretary has that I don’t,” he said. “I’m not going to judge what the secretary says, but if you look up the definition of terrorism, it could certainly fall within that.”
Although the two immigration officials reportedly butt heads often, Homan said we “all gotta agree that there’s no reason for this lady to do what she did.” The Trump administration has held firm in its defense of ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Good as she was trying to drive away from him. Republicans have been smearing Good’s name by asserting she tried to kill Ross and labeling her as a terrorist.
Noem was asked to explain her comments about Good on CNN, with anchor Jake Tapper asking her if she had evidence of terrorism from the slain 37-year-old mother. The secretary claimed she “weaponized her vehicle to conduct an act of violence against a law enforcement officer and the public.” The DHS boss said she would be conducting an investigation into Good’s motivations.
Different angles of the shooting dispute the administration’s account of the events. One witness said that Good was “already moving” when “an ICE agent stepped in front of her vehicle” and shot her.
Protests have erupted across the country following Good’s death. Anti-ICE demonstrations were held in over 500 cities over the weekend, with people demanding accountability for the shooting.
