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Online fundraisers backing a federal immigration officer have ignited backlash across the US, after donations surged past the $1 million mark and a billionaire publicly defended his contribution.
The campaigns have shifted attention away from the victim’s family and toward a growing debate over money, justice and accountability.
Money and backlash
Fundraising pages set up in support of ICE agent Jonathan Ross have attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in a matter of days. One GoFundMe campaign has raised close to $760,000, while a separate fundraiser on GiveSendGo has collected more than $283,000.
Together, the donations exceed $1 million, a total that has angered critics who say the support rewards lethal force by a government agent. An update posted on January 13 said organisers had contacted Ross and were working to transfer the funds according to his wishes.
The GoFundMe page, created by supporter Clyde Emmons, framed Ross as unfairly attacked by the media, claiming the shooting was “1,000 percent justified” and stating that the money would go toward helping him, reports Newsner.
Billionaire weighs in
The fundraising drive drew wider attention after hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman confirmed he had donated $10,000. In a post on X on January 13, Ackman said he had also tried to support a fundraiser for the victim’s family but found it had already been closed.
“I have been widely reviled (and worse) by many on social and mainstream media for giving $10,000 to a @gofundme for Jonathan Ross,” Ackman wrote. He said critics had portrayed his donation as “giving a reward to the murderer of Renee Good.”
Ackman argued that his decision was not political, saying he believes people accused of serious crimes should be able to afford legal defence. “A world in which the accused cannot afford to pay for their defense is not a world any of us should want to live in,” he added.
Family support closes
Before donations began flowing toward Ross, public sympathy focused on Renee Nicole Good’s family. A GoFundMe campaign set up to support her wife and children raised more than $1.5 million in less than 48 hours.
The page was closed on January 9, with organisers saying the money would be placed into a trust. “We’ve closed this GoFundMe and will place the funds in a trust for the family,” the message read, thanking donors for their generosity.
What happened
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed on January 7 in Minneapolis by Ross, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. She was struck in the chest, arm and head near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue and later pronounced dead.
Federal officials said the agent acted defensively, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey rejected claims that Good was a violent threat, calling such characterisations “bulls**t.” Ross has not returned to duty since the shooting.
The contrasting waves of fundraising have since become a flashpoint in the wider national argument over state violence and accountability.
Sources: Newsner, CNN, GoFundMe, X
