The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Americans grow more outraged as Trump’s ICE grows more outrageous
Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Jen Psaki, MS NOW

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the mounting national outrage over recent actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the Trump administration, particularly in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jen Psaki examines breaking news about the Trump Justice Department’s attempt to investigate Renee Nicole Goode—the ICE shooting victim—for criminal liability posthumously, protest responses in freezing temperatures, ICE’s treatment of immigrants and citizens, and grassroots resistance. The show features in-depth interviews with Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann, local business owner Wes Burdine, and exclusive reporting by MS NOW correspondent Antonia Hilton.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Justice Department Targeted ICE Victim for Investigation

• [00:52 – 14:38]
  • New reporting reveals that after ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Goode, the Trump Justice Department moved to investigate her, not the agent.
  • FBI agents were directed to change their investigation from a civil rights probe of the officer to focusing on Goode as a criminal suspect—even though she was deceased.
  • The warrant was ultimately rejected by a federal magistrate, and an FBI supervisor resigned in protest.
  • Psaki: “It is so shocking and it is disgusting. That news makes me want to say lots of words I cannot say on TV, even on a Friday.” [00:52]

2. Minneapolis Mobilizes: Massive Protests and Citywide Strike

• [01:35 – 08:00 | 32:32 – 37:56]
  • Thousands protested outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport against its cooperation with ICE deportation flights.
  • Over 100 clergy members were arrested after peacefully blocking airport roads.
  • Hundreds of businesses, schools, and museums participated in a general strike, shutting down in solidarity with protesters—even in punishing cold (high of -9°F).
  • Psaki: “On a day when the high was negative 9 degrees, organizing something like that feels, well, nearly impossible. And yet the people of Minneapolis did it.” [03:33]

3. Documented ICE Abuses and Public Outrage

• [04:30 – 10:37 | 39:05 – 44:32]
  • Incident of U.S. citizen Chong Lithao being mistakenly detained and dragged out of his house in underwear by masked agents.
  • Case of 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father, asylum seekers legally present in the U.S., being used as bait by ICE and then detained.
  • Psaki: “The idea that any administration...would use a five-year-old to lure people out of a home...is so disturbing.” [06:33]
  • Horrific conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center, where Liam and his father were sent.
  • Antonia Hilton’s reporting on a 16-year-old U.S. citizen, Arnoldo Bazan, beaten and choked by ICE agents as they arrested his undocumented father; hospital staff called police on ICE agents.
  • Hilton: “He ends up having to go to a hospital, a trauma center in Texas...he receives treatment. We obtained 911 calls showing that nurses even called the police…to report that this boy had been choked and beaten.” [41:05]

4. Interview: Mary Moriarty (Hennepin County Attorney)

• [14:38 – 22:37]
  • Moriarty confirms her office’s ongoing investigation into the ICE shooting; emphasizes state authority to charge federal agents.
  • Outlines lack of cooperation from federal agencies after politically motivated cancellation of a joint probe.
  • Strongly criticizes ICE’s tactics, especially detentions of lawful asylum-seekers and children.
  • Moriarty: “We're talking about a jail, we're talking about a cage, we're talking about a five-year-old child...if that was your five-year-old child, would that be okay?” [16:58]
  • Affirms charges against the agent are possible once sufficient evidence is gathered and stresses transparency.

5. Interview: Andrew Weissmann (Former FBI General Counsel)

• [24:23 – 30:47]
  • Weissmann explains that investigating the shooting agent is standard, but targeting the deceased victim is “abnormal and outrageous.”
  • Draws parallels to previous abuses and the administration’s pattern of smearing victims to justify misconduct.
  • Weissmann: “It’s the idea that if you can tarnish the victim…that somehow it was all right to do something wrong. And that, to me, is unbelievable—for the Department of Justice of all agencies to have that view.” [27:12]
  • Discusses chilling effect of DOJ and FBI purges, weakening national security and institutional expertise.
  • “You want the most experienced, the people with the best judgment…getting rid of that brain trust…you are not putting the safety of America as your number one priority.” [29:24]

6. Interview: Wes Burdine (Owner, Black Hart of St. Paul)

• [34:06 – 37:56]
  • Burdine describes the significance of joining the general strike, despite tough business climate: “I think it just shows…the fact that you have over a thousand businesses shutting down…it shows how important and historical this moment is.” [34:13]
  • Shares how the community is responding—offering mutual aid, raising funds for diapers and essential goods, hosting benefit events.
  • “There’s two emotions going on: one is pure rage…then there’s also this intense joy because neighbors taking care of one another is an amazingly beautiful thing.” [37:06]

7. Reporting: Antonia Hilton on ICE Violence in Houston

• [39:05 – 44:32]
  • Hilton describes violent ICE tactics: ICE agents rammed into a car carrying a 16-year-old American and his father, then beat and choked the son.
  • Evidence contradicts ICE’s statements about who was responsible for the crash; ICE agents later sold the teen's confiscated phone at a pawn shop.
  • Hospital staff were so disturbed they called police to report ICE agents.
  • Psaki: “This is a must watch. It’s disturbing and stirring, but that’s exactly why people should watch it.” [44:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jen Psaki [00:52]:
  “It is so shocking and it is disgusting. That news makes me want to say lots of words I cannot say on TV, even on a Friday.”
• Mary Moriarty [16:58]:
  “We're talking about a jail, we're talking about a cage, we're talking about a five-year-old child...if that was your five-year-old child, would that be okay?”
• Andrew Weissmann [27:12]:
  “It’s the idea that if you can tarnish the victim…that somehow it was all right to do something wrong. And that, to me, is unbelievable—for the Department of Justice of all agencies to have that view.”
• Wes Burdine [34:13]:
  “I think it just shows…the fact that you have over a thousand businesses shutting down…it shows how important and historical this moment is.”
• Antonia Hilton [41:05]:
  “He ends up having to go to a hospital, a trauma center in Texas...we obtained 911 calls showing that nurses even called the police in Houston to report that this boy had been choked and beaten.”

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:52 | Breaking news: DOJ sought to investigate ICE victim | | 03:33 | Description of Minneapolis protests, general strike | | 06:33 | Adorable 5-year-old Liam Ramos detained by ICE | | 14:38 | Interview: Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County Attorney | | 24:23 | Interview: Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel | | 32:32 | City strike: deserted streets, Wes Burdine interview | | 39:05 | Exclusive reporting: Antonia Hilton on ICE violence in TX | | 41:05 | Hospital staff report ICE agents after assault/abuse | | 44:06 | Psaki wraps up with Hilton’s reporting |

Conclusion

Jen Psaki’s episode delivers a comprehensive, emotional, and incisive examination of the Trump administration's ICE policies, increasing state and national resistance, and the chilling culture of impunity and victim-blaming within federal law enforcement. On-the-ground voices and exclusive reporting shine a light on both the traumatic effects of these tactics and the resilience of affected communities—making clear why outrage has reached new heights and why the fight for justice and accountability remains at the forefront.