Did Chicago Police chief come out in support of ICE agent Jonathan Ross? Here's the truth

A viral video falsely claims Chicago Police Chief Larry Snelling backed the ICE agent shooting, but he was only warning protesters about safety and conduct.

Published on: Jan 12, 2026, 04:38:31 IST

By Shirin Gupta

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A video of the Chicago Chief of Police, Larry Snelling, warning protesters in Chicago not to "box in" or "follow" federal immigration enforcement is making rounds with the misleading claim that Snelling is showing support for the ICE agent involved in the Minneapolis shooting.

Protesters walk past a screen reading "arrest and charge Jonathan Ross", the ICE officer, named in US media as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who fatally shot Renee Good. (AFP)

Here's the video:

ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Good close to Portland Avenue in Minneapolis during a major federal immigration operation on January 7.

Although video footage and eyewitness testimonies have cast doubt on whether Good presented an immediate threat at the time of her death, federal authorities have supported the use of force, comparing Good's actions to a threat and labeling Ross's action self-defense.

Did the Chicago Police Chief show support?

The Chicago police superintendent did not show any support for ICE agent Jonathan Ross in the recent Minneapolis shooting. The viral claim about Chicago’s police chief stems from past remarks unrelated to the case

In October 2025, Snelling warned protestors against physically obstructing federal enforcement vehicles. He says, “If you box them in with vehicles, it is reasonable for them to believe that they are being ambushed and that this could end in a deadly situation…”

His comments about a message on public safety during law enforcement actions are being mischaracterized as support for the Minneapolis shooting.

Sheriff Rochelle Bilal speaks out against ICE

However, the Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal calls out ICE and labels them as “made-up, fake, wannabe law enforcement.”

She declared that she will not grant any relief from accountability for ICE agents who break the law in her city.

Good's shooting has divided the nation about who is accountable for the shooting and if Ross was right to shoot Good as she appeared to escape from the ICE agents surrounding her car.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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