‘You’re a left-wing hack’: Leavitt rips into reporter in defense of ICE officers

WASHINGTON (TNND) — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized a reporter for accusing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in Renee Nicole Good’s fatal shooting of acting “recklessly” and “unjustifiably.”

The reporter also claimed that 32 people died in ICE custody last year, as well as criticized Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Kristi Noem for saying the agency is “doing everything correctly.” He made the comments during a news conference on Thursday after Leavitt asked him why he believes Good was killed.

Minneapolis ICE shooting from agent’s perspective (Screenshot from video courtesy of CNN Newsource)

“Reporter: “Are you asking me my opinion?”

“Leavitt: “Yeah.”

“Reporter:”Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably.”

That’s when Leavitt blasted him, calling him a biased reported with a left-wing opinion.

“You’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You’re posing in this room as a journalist and it’s so clear by the premise of your question. And you and the people of the media who have such biases but fake like you’re a journalist, you shouldn’t even be sitting in that seat,” she said.

“But you’re pretending like you’re a journalist but you’re a left-wing activist and the question that you just raised — and your answer — proves your bias.”

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 15: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt displays a printed social media post by FOX News correspondent Bill Melugin of what they say are “illegal alien criminals” targeted by ICE in Minnesota during a news briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on January 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. Leavitt discussed mortgage rates, the Supreme Court case on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and the Trump administration’s “Great Healthcare Plan,” among other topics. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Leavitt went on to tell him he should be reporting on the facts and be more focused on how many American citizens were killed by illegal migrants.

“I bet you don’t,” she said. “I bet you didn’t even read up on those stories. I bet you never even read about Laken Riley or Jocelyn Nungaray or all of the innocent Americans who were killed at the hand of illegal aliens in this country and the brave men and woman of ICE are doing everything in their power to remove those heinous individuals and make our communities safer. And shame on people like you in the media who have a crooked view and have a biases view and pretend like you’re a real, honest journalist.”

During the news briefing, Leavitt held up mugshots showing criminals ICE recently arrested in Minnesota. She also accused Gov. Tim Walz of encouraging his citizens to incite the harassment and illegal obstruction of law enforcement in the area.

“This is all ICE is trying to do,” she said as she held up the photos. “They are trying to remove people like this from Governor Walz’s state.”

Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis during a federal immigration enforcement raid on January 7 that has sparked protests and political debate.

The agent, who has been identified as Jonathan Ross, fired his gun after Good allegedly tried to ram him and other officers with her SUV. Ross reportedly suffered internal bleeding when he was hit by her vehicle.

In a separate case, a federal officer shot an illegal migrant in the leg on Wednesday night in Minnesota after being attacked with an object during an arrest.

“This ICE agent was executing a targeted operation against a Venezuelan illegal alien who was unlawfully present in the country,” Leavitt said. “And when this ICE agent tried to detain the individual, three more of his comrades came rushing out of a house and started ambushing and attacking the ICE agent. They used a shovel or a broom to smash his face in — and so yes, that agent had to use self-defense and take up his weapon to protect his own life.”

DHS later identified the suspects in connection to the case as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a criminal illegal migrant from Venezuela, who was previously convicted for driving without a license and arrested for two counts of giving a false name to a police officer.

The other two individuals involved were identified as Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma.