Debate Sparks After Anti-ICE Protest Death
There’s been a lot of shouting about the anti-ICE protests this week. Emotions are high. People are hurt. One woman died in Minnesota and that fact changed the tone of the conversation.
Michael Shellenberger joined Jesse Watters to talk about what’s happening on the streets. He calls what he’s seeing dangerous. He argues protesters are stepping off the map of reality. That’s strong language. It got attention.
Below is the transcript of the exchange as shared by Real Clear Politics.
WATTERS: Founder of Public News, Michael Shellenberger.
I mean, Mike, did you see Wolf Blitzer? It’s like day 10 of this, and he still thinks this woman was just randomly caught in traffic after dropping her six-year-old off at school?
MICHAEL SHELLENBERGER, FOUNDER, “PUBLIC NEWS”: Hey, Jesse, it’s good to be with you.
Look, I think left is getting people killed at this point. There’s no other way to say it. I mean, these are not difficult issues, legally, morally. The public voted for a president who is implementing his policies, it’s undemocratic to halt the implementation of those policies, which is what is happening.
A year ago, we were talking about the left setting Teslas on fire. Obviously, between then and now, Charlie Kirk was murdered, the radicalization of the left is ongoing here.
I mean, Renee Good, the woman that was killed, is a victim of all this herself. She’s in the grip of a delusion. Her partner afterwards said that she couldn’t believe that they were using real bullets. They’re not in reality. They’re in some total fantasy universe.
They imagine they’re fighting Nazis. They don’t understand that a majority of their fellow Americans, you know, voted to implement the policies that ICE is implementing, and they imagine the police would use fake bullets.
I mean, it’s a dangerous moment, Jesse. I hope this will finally serve as a wake-up call to the left, because, yes, they’re getting people killed. It’s as simple as that.
Watch the clip below:
Michael @shellenberger: The Left Is Getting People Killed
“I think the left is getting people killed at this point. There’s no other way say it… Renee Good… is a victim of all this herself. She is in a group of a delusion. Her partner afterwards said that she couldn’t… pic.twitter.com/KOagDpsZI9
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) January 17, 2026
Michael @shellenberger: The Left Is Getting People Killed
"I think the left is getting people killed at this point. There's no other way say it… Renee Good… is a victim of all this herself. She is in a group of a delusion. Her partner afterwards said that she couldn't… pic.twitter.com/KOagDpsZI9
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) January 17, 2026
What to take from this? First, protests and public policy are messy. People feel strongly. That’s normal in a democracy.
Second, there are real safety questions here. A death changes the conversation from symbolic to criminal and tragic. Law enforcement, local officials, and organizers all face scrutiny when events turn violent.
Third, the broader debate about immigration enforcement and protest tactics isn’t going away. Elected leaders are implementing policies. Protesters are trying to stop them. That conflict will keep playing out in public and in court.
No single interview settles the debate. But the Minnesota death did force a sharper look at tactics and risks. Expect more voices to weigh in. Expect more questions about how protests are run and policed. And expect the headlines to stay loud for a while.