Op Eds

The killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis is not just a distant tragedy.

It is a warning to every community where federal immigration agencies operate without oversight. Good was a 37‑year‑old woman sitting in her vehicle when ICE agents surrounded her. Moments later, she was dead. Local officials have openly challenged the federal account of the shooting, and national reporting shows this was at least the fifth death linked to the recent escalation in immigration enforcement. When federal agents act without accountability, people die. That is the reality.

And Oswego County is not exempt from this danger. In fact, we are already seeing the same patterns of overreach here at home. Just weeks ago, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office cooperated with federal agents in an unlawful raid in Cato, NY, a community outside our county. Residents described aggressive tactics, questionable detentions, and a complete lack of transparency — the very conditions that lead to tragedies like the one in Minneapolis.

Local law enforcement is not required to enforce federal civil immigration law. Yet without a clear, binding policy, cooperation continues quietly and without public oversight. The Cato raid along with many other incidences, show that our Sheriff’s Office is already entangling itself with federal immigration enforcement in ways that are putting our community at risk. The killing of Renee Good shows exactly how quickly these encounters can turn deadly.

This is why the Oswego County Legislature must adopt a No‑Collusion Resolution immediately. Such a resolution simply ensures that our Sheriff’s Office will not participate in civil immigration enforcement, will not detain people on ICE or Border Patrol requests without a judicial warrant, and will not share personal information unless required by law. It protects civil rights, strengthens community trust, and keeps local policing focused on local safety, not illegal federal political agendas.

We should not wait until a tragedy, like Renee Good’s death, happens here. Minneapolis is already grieving. Oswego County residents are already shaken. The warning signs are flashing red. The Legislature must act now, as federal overreach continues in our own community. Contact your county legislator now and demand immediate action.

Indivisible Oswego County

Paul McKinney