The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Minnesotans Tell Meidas All About ICE Invasion

Date: January 13, 2026
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas)
On-the-Ground Coverage: Ken Harbaugh

Overview:

This episode investigates the tense aftermath of the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Goode by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Host Ken Harbaugh provides firsthand accounts from the streets, relaying the fear, resilience, and resistance of Minneapolis residents in the face of aggressive federal immigration actions. With emotional interviews and vivid depictions of community response, the episode blends on-the-ground reporting, direct activism, and reflection on the broader attacks on democracy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights:

1. Setting the Stage: Minneapolis Under Siege

• Location & Incident: Harbaugh reports from the intersection of 34th and Portland, where Renee Goode was shot. The community is described as fearful and on edge, with faith leaders and residents fearing federal retaliation if they speak out.

  • "There is a palpable sense of fear in this community. A lot of folks won't talk on camera, even faith leaders, because they are terrified that the federal government is going to knock in the doors of their church." (03:23, Ken Harbaugh)

• Community Resilience: Despite fear, Minneapolis displays solidarity and neighborliness. Harbaugh recounts warmth extended to his crew during technical difficulties, as a metaphor for the city’s resistance to intimidation.

  • "The people I met are not only kind... they are also unbelievably resilient and brave." (03:54, Ken Harbaugh)

• Symbolic Imagery: Harbaugh highlights a local winter swim as a symbolic rejection of defeat:

  • "This city has never bent to winter. Ice will not prevail here, no matter how much Kristi Noem and J.D. Vance slander the good people." (04:37, Ken Harbaugh)

2. The Backlash Against Narrative Control

• Government Reaction: Authorities immediately labeled Goode a "domestic terrorist," blaming her death on supposed 'far left' agitation.

  • "In the minutes after Renee Nicole Goode was killed by an ICE agent, the Secretary of Homeland Security came out and declared her a domestic terrorist." (07:38, Interviewer)

• Community Rebuttal: Residents reject government narratives, seeing themselves threatened by federal overreach rather than protected.

  • "When bullies are confronted, their first instinct is panic." (06:04, Ken Harbaugh)

3. On-the-Ground: Protest in Action

• Direct Action: Harbaugh reports from outside Hilton hotels harboring ICE agents—met by crowds determined to disrupt “business as usual” for enforcement personnel.
  • *"If there's no justice, there's no peace... ICE sure as hell isn't getting safety and peace and quiet" in their hotels. (07:18, Jacob Thomas)

4. Voices from Minneapolis

Jacob Thomas – Air Force Veteran

• On Justice and Labeling:

  • "The only domestic terrorists that I’ve seen in Minnesota are the ICE agents… They are the terrorists who are coming into our cities, into our communities, and terrorizing our neighbors, our friends and our families." (08:13, Jacob Thomas)

• On Patriotism:

  • "I'm here as an Air Force veteran because we know that patriotism means showing up and fighting for our values as a country… not to see a government come in and use authoritarian and fascist tactics to try and silence us into sin." (09:08, Jacob Thomas)

• Message to ICE Agents:

  • "You know what you are doing is wrong. You know that following orders is not an excuse... Maybe go help your community actually stay safe and not take orders from Kristi Noem and Donald Trump." (10:03, Jacob Thomas)

Faith Leaders – Doug Padgett, Pastor

• Role of Faith Communities:

  • "There are so many people in this city who are terrified... This isn't political. This is about the life and safety of the people living in the city." (12:07, Doug Padgett)

• Extraordinary Measures:

  • "Faith leaders have to say to their parishioners, it's not safe for you to come to church because of your federal government... In 2026." (12:36, Doug Padgett)

• To ICE Agents:

  • "I hope they all have the good conscience and the moral fortitude to say that is not what I swore an oath to... and that if ICE won't patrol itself, then they should wake up and resign by morning." (13:35, Doug Padgett)

5. Community Response and Hope

• Minneapolis as a Turning Point:

  • "Minneapolis is a turning point. So long as ordinary people refuse to surrender their freedom, the Trump regime cannot last." (14:30, Ken Harbaugh)

• Rally at Powderhorn Park:

  • Massive turnout at a local park demonstrates solidarity and resilience after Goode’s death.
  • "If she's a domestic terrorist, we're all domestic terrorists... The last thing she said to him... was, 'I'm not mad at you, man.'” (15:10-15:50, Interviewer)

• Patriotism on Display:

  • "When you see the number of American flags, it is a patriotic one. These people love their country more than any ICE agent can possibly fathom." (16:51, Interviewer)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Jacob Thomas on ICE: "The only domestic terrorists that I’ve seen in Minnesota are the ICE agents who are too scared to have their faces shown because they know what they're doing is wrong." (08:13)
• Doug Padgett on Spiritual Leadership: "Faith leaders have to say to their parishioners, it's not safe for you to come to church because of your federal government... what an insane thing to be happening in the United States of America in 2026." (12:36)
• Harbaugh on Community: "Despite fear, the community comes together—helping strangers, braving the cold—showing that intimidation will not break them." (paraphrased from 03:54–04:37)
• Memorable Last Words: "The last thing she said to him, her last words were, 'I'm not mad at you, man.'" (15:45, Interviewer)
• Message to the Nation: "If they can do it in a city where ICE just murdered one of their neighbors, we ought to be able to do it anywhere in America." (16:36, Interviewer)

Important Timestamps

• 03:00: Setting the scene at the shooting site, pulse of local fear
• 06:44: Outside Hilton hotels, protest against ICE presence
• 07:18: Air Force veteran Jacob Thomas on justice and resistance
• 11:27: Pastor Doug Padgett on the faith response and moral clarity
• 14:59: Clips and insights from the Powderhorn Park rally
• 15:45: Revealing Goode’s powerful last words to her killer
• 16:51: The patriotic resolve of protestors

Episode Tone & Takeaways

The episode blends urgent reporting with heartfelt interviews, balancing despair over state violence with pride in local resistance. Humor and camaraderie are much more muted in this episode, giving way to solidarity, grief, and the fight for justice. The city’s defiance and the emotional testimonies serve as an inspiration and a call to action for listeners everywhere.

For listeners seeking citizen accounts and reflections on democracy’s frontline in America, this episode is essential, providing both the gravity of the moment and a blueprint for collective resistance.