More than 850 people marched silently in downtown La Grange Sunday afternoon, Jan. 11, to mourn the death of Renee Nicole Good, shot to death by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month.
“That’s three times as many people who signed up,” said Mary Ann Quinlan, who is on the leadership team of Indivisible West Suburban Chicago.
“It was very short notice,” Quinlan, 68, of Western Springs, said. The protest was not publicized until Jan. 9.
According to www.Indivisble.org, more than 1,000 protests were held nationwide for the “ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.”
“People really care. People are fed up because ICE is operating outside of their authority. (Laws) do apply but they don’t pay any attention. That’s the point, I think” Quinlan said.
ICE is short for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. Agents for ICE, often masked, have been placing into custody undocumented immigrants since shortly after President Trump took office a year ago.
Quinlan spoke as protestors, many carrying signs, quietly marched along La Grange Road. The death of Good, she said, “could be” a turning point.
“It’s interesting to me that this killing of Renee Good happened not very far from where George Floyd was killed,” she said.
Floyd was the Black man who in May 2020 was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, resulting in protests around the nation and world, including one in downtown La Grange.
“The video (of Good’s death) is so compelling. … When people can see something with their own eyes. Then, they hear the lies,” she said.
Quinlan referred to those in the Trump Administration who have called Good a “domestic terrorist.”
They say she allegedly tried to run over an ICE agent with her vehicle. She was shot three times in the face.
Ernie Kaminski, 69, of Riverside, said “when you look at the video, it appears a crime has been committed.” His sign read “Defund ICE.”
Before the march, those gathered heard from a few speakers on the steps of First Congregational Church of La Grange at the corner of Cossitt Avenue and La Grange Road.
Betsy Shea, 49, of La Grange, said actions of ICE agents “are endangering our communities,” adding, “we won’t stand for it.”
“We are here today to demand accountability for the killings and an end to ICE and Customs and Border Protection Agency raids. We will not sit by when violence goes unanswered and our communities are terrorized,” Shea said.
“Your participation today sends a strong message,” she told those gathered before leading them in a rendition of Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song “This Land is Your Land” with the poignant lyric “this land was made for you and me.”
A somber moment came with the reading of the names of 32 people who died in ICE custody in 2025.
Jon Platt, 74, of Brookfield, talked of his 10 years working at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.
“I was a social worker. … We treated everybody equally. In those 10 years, I never heard anyone in that hospital staff ever complain that immigrants were taking up our resources. Never,” Platt said.
Patti Gillespie, 67, of Lombard, teared up when she said, “I’m here to defend democracy.”
“I’m outraged by what’s happening with the current administration and I believe in the power of the people,” Gillespie said.
Protestors marched along La Grange Road from the church north to Burlington Avenue where they crossed La Grange Road and continued south back to Cossitt.
Holding a sign that read, “Accountability Now,” Denise Carlson, “65-ish,” of La Grange said “you’ve got to keep it going” regarding protests of the Trump Administration and ICE.
“Just like the Epstein files,” Carlson said. “You’ve got to keep pushing.”
People who care and treat all people with respect and dignity. Love and honesty towards one another. That’s what it’s about. Democracy!
Yes, Democracy was proven when Trump won the presidency by winning all 7 swing states, winning the popular vote and winning the electoral college. The MAJORITY of the citizens of the United States voted for Trump and the Federal government to enforce Federal immigration laws and deport the illegal foreign nationals who are illegally trespassing in the United States!!!
My Dad was in Poland during the Blitzkrieg. Dad was arrested by Gestapo & sent to a Work Camp.
It was there he witnessed “Pure Evil Hate”. If you were weak, you were shot in the head. If you disagreed you were shot. The Gestapo would even shoot for pleasure. Now i see the video & read the transcript of Renee Good’s murder by Jonathon Ross and i see “Pure Evil Hate”.
What a ridiculous and wrong analogy. Liberal Democrats lose all creditability when they equate any federal, state or local law enforcement as “gestapo” or Nazis. The Federal government enforcing immigration laws that have been passed by congress has nothing to do with Germany, Hitler, Nazis or racism. These laws should have been enacted and enforced for the last 50 years but since they really weren’t this is the situation the country finds itself in after the Biden administration allowed millions and millions of unvetted foreign nationals into the country by allowing them to claim fake “asylum” or granting TPS under false pretenses. As for the instigator Renee Good she was impeding a lawful police operation and when given a lawful police order to exit her vehicle, that she was using to block the road, she decided to ignore the order, move her vehicle and HIT a law enforcement officer. In self-defense the officer fired his weapon. If citizens believe that “drug” laws are somehow unjust, does that give them the right to follow around the DEA or undercover drug operation police?? Does that give so called protesters the right to impede drug arrests and impede search warrants?? So called protesters who are out in the streets, blocking the streets, being within arm’s length of officers which is invading their space, shouting swear words and threatening comments, and throwing items at the police, are NOT peaceful protesters. These people are instigators and agitators and should be arrested and prosecuted. Apparently, you don’t live next door to any Hispanic gang bangers. There is a very long list of American citizens who have been victims of crimes by illegal foreign nationals who have crossed the border illegally or overstayed their visas. Many American citizens have been murdered and raped!!! I suggest you educate yourself as to what is really happening in cities, towns and neighborhoods that deal with the invasion of illegal foreign nationals who have flooded our country putting a strain on all social services, housing, schools, food pantries, police depts, courts, and the chaos and mayhem they cause for the citizens who still have to live in those neighborhoods because they cannot afford to move away. Look how bad many of the western suburbs of Chicago have gotten, like Cicero, Berwyn, Lyons, Summit and many more towns and cities across Cook County and the whole United States. Lagrange Illinois does not have a serious problem with illegal foreign nationals or Hispanic street gangs, so Lagrange can afford to stand up for criminals and try to fight the rule of law. There weren’t any protests when Obama was deporting millions of illegal foreign nationals. As a matter of face CNN did a segment about a ride along with I.C.E during 2016 and how they do their job and complimenting them for their service to the country. Maybe you should look it up and watch it. My older brother spent over 30 years in law enforcement, retired a lieutenant. He dealt with illegal foreign nationals and Hispanic gang bangers on a daily basis. He will be the first to tell you that our county needs to deport every single one of these people to take back our neighborhoods and combat the crime, gang banging, and drug dealing that is associated with them.