Congressman Mike Ezell, who represents Mississippi’s 4th district in the U.S. Congress, issued a statement regarding recent events in Minneapolis involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and an individual named Renee Good.
Ezell stated, “The incident in Minneapolis was entirely preventable. Unfortunately, the reckless and unlawful actions of Renee Good left U.S. ICE agents with no choice but to defend themselves and the officers supporting them.”
He further explained, “Forcefully blocking an active federal investigation is illegal. Using a vehicle in an attempt to strike law enforcement officers is illegal. These actions placed lives at risk and cannot be excused.”
Ezell noted that President Trump had deployed ICE agents to Minneapolis for federal immigration law enforcement purposes. He said, “Americans are free to hold differing opinions on immigration policy, but the facts are clear: these officers were lawfully carrying out their duties under existing U.S. law.”
Addressing First Amendment rights, Ezell commented, “The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, the press, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government. It does not protect violent behavior, obstruction of law enforcement, or attempts to harm officers because someone disagrees with their mission.”
He added, “Lawful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Endangering lives and obstructing justice are not.” He concluded his statement by saying: “It’s time we stop blaming law enforcement for doing their duty. They are not thugs or nazi’s. They are law enforcement agents carrying out U.S. laws.”
Mike Ezell has served as the representative for Mississippi’s 4th District since 2023 after succeeding Steven Palazzo (https://ezell.house.gov/). Born in Pascagoula in 1959, Ezell continues to reside there today. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
