Protesters express frustrations regarding ICE, Venezuela Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Area residents gathered on Stratford Road in Moses Lake to protest the recent deaths of Renee Nicole Good, 37, of Minneapolis and Kieth Porter, 43, of Los Angeles. Both incidents involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. They also expressed frustration regarding the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.   

“We had no right to take the president of another country. Maduro is a bad guy, don’t get me wrong,” Grant County Democrats Vice Chair Jill Springer said. “But we are not the police of the world. We should not be getting involved in issues that are not our own. We have a lot of problems we need to solve in America first.”  

Regarding the incident with Good, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE agents were executing lawful deportation operations when Good allegedly used her SUV to strike an agent. One agent, claiming self-defense, shot Good three times and killed her.  

In Porter's situation, DHS said an off-duty ICE agent responded to celebratory gunfire near his apartment on New Year's, engaged Porter, and exchanged shots after Porter allegedly aimed a rifle at him. Federal authorities are still investigating both cases, according to separate statements.  

The protest gathered around 40 people on the sidewalks by about 11:45 a.m. People driving expressed both support and opposition for the protest with a mix of honking horns and thumbs up, paired with the occasional profane hand gestures and thumbs down. 

“Some people clearly don’t agree with us, and that’s OK,” Springer said. “We just need them to see that there are people that don’t agree with what’s happening. We don’t agree with this violence.”  

Protestor Jodi Madison said she was heartbroken, and that’s what encouraged her to attend. 

“I am heartbroken for the kids that are out here. I am broken-hearted for my grandchildren,” Madison said. “At 80 years old, I will not be quiet. I am heartbroken that a woman was shot in broad daylight.” 

Protestors Erin Smithgall and Mickey Williams said the desire for community brought them out.  

“Our goal is to gather, to bring the community together," said protestor Mickey Williams. “There are a lot of people that are scared about what is happening in our country, and we want them to know they aren’t alone. We also want the community to know we don’t stand behind these deaths or the actions of the current administration."  

Williams said they have been attending all of the protests in Moses Lake since the beginning of 2025.  

“I have made a lot of friends out here. We have been able to build relationships with one another and start working together to do community work to help our people directly,” Williams said. 

There were no counterprotests held Saturday in Moses Lake. Additional protests happened across the Pacific Northwest, including in Spokane; Sandpoint, Idaho; Seattle; and Portland.

On the national stage, the issues of violence associated with ICE operations and activities in Venezuela and in international waters have been debated mostly along party lines.  

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has expressed concerns about both situations. She described the situation in Venezuela as having “no legitimate justification.” She expressed concern regarding whether the administration of President Donald Trump had a long-term strategy associated with the South American nation.  

Concerning Good’s death, Murray said, “Conducting immigration enforcement doesn’t mean you execute American citizens in the street.” 

Murray accused Department of Homeland Security officials of lying about the situation and called on states to hold ICE agents accountable. 

Both Rep. Michael Baumgartner and Rep. Dan Newhouse, both Republicans who represent Washington in the nation’s capital, have yet to release formal statements on Good’s death.  

However, in an interview with The Spokesman Review, Baumgartner said he felt the capture of Maduro was a positive step for American security and a good thing for the Venezuelan people.  

In contrast, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, said he felt the capture of Maduro and related activities were dishonest and concerning. 

“For weeks, Secretary Rubio and the administration claimed that U.S. activities in the region were not aimed at regime change in Venezuela. Today’s military action, taken without consultation with or authorization from Congress, shows that Secretary Rubio misled the Congress and the American people,” Smith said in a press release. 

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R. Hans Miller contributed to this report. 

    A protester holds a sign saying, “We saw the video. We heard the audio. We know the truth.” during Saturday’s protest. Multiple videos of the incident leading to the death of Renee Good who was shot by an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent have circulated in the national news with some defending the agent’s actions and others saying he was unjustified.