• ABC, CBS, and NBC evening newscasts devoted 121 minutes to the Minneapolis ICE shooting from January 7-17, 2026
• Media Research Center found 68 negative soundbites about ICE compared to just five positive ones across all three networks
• Study claims networks minimized context about illegal alien crimes and disputed whether agent was struck by vehicle

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — A Media Research Center analysis of network evening newscasts found ABC, CBS, and NBC devoted more than two hours of coverage to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, with 93 percent of that coverage portraying federal immigration enforcement negatively, according to the conservative media watchdog group.

The study comes as the Trump administration faces mounting criticism over its handling of the January 7 incident, which has prompted mass resignations from federal prosecutors and FBI agents who allege political interference in the investigation. MRC analysts examined every report about the Minneapolis situation that aired on ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News from January 7 through January 17, finding a total of 121 minutes and 26 seconds of coverage.

Network Coverage Breakdown

The MRC study found stark disparities in how each network covered Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the shooting of Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by ICE agent Jonathan Ross during an immigration enforcement operation.

“ABC, CBS, and NBC’s flagship evening newscasts all hammered ICE with more than 90% negative coverage (91% negative on ABC and NBC, 96% negative on CBS).” —Media Research Center Summary of Findings

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According to the analysis, CBS Evening News aired 26 negative soundbites about ICE compared to just one positive, while both ABC and NBC featured 21 negative soundbites versus two positive ones. The study characterized the overall tone as “overwhelmingly anti-ICE.”

“No news network produces coverage this dishonest by accident. The elitist media’s abysmal reporting proves their intent, which is to nullify immigration law via manipulating public opinion.” —David Bozell, MRC President, to Fox News Digital

Disputed Facts And Omitted Context

The MRC analysis focused particular attention on how networks handled the contested circumstances of the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that Ross fired in self-defense after Good struck him with her vehicle—a claim disputed by video analysis and eyewitness accounts.

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The study found that CBS never explicitly stated as fact that Good hit Ross with her car, instead framing it as a Trump administration claim. ABC and NBC each mentioned the alleged vehicle strike only once. All three networks reported that Ross suffered internal bleeding only once during the 10-day period, according to the analysis.

“CBS’s framing of Renee Good’s death was particularly mendacious. While the network repeatedly played the footage from officer Ross’s phone which indisputably showed Good hitting him with her car, not one journalist ever stated as fact that Good’s vehicle had indeed struck Ross.” —MRC Senior Research Analyst Bill D’Agostino

However, video analysis by The New York Times showed no indication that Ross had been run over, with multiple angles suggesting Good was attempting to drive away when Ross positioned himself in front of her vehicle and fired three shots at close range.

Illegal Alien Crime Coverage Minimal

The MRC study also examined how much coverage networks devoted to the alleged crimes of the undocumented immigrants ICE agents were attempting to apprehend when the fatal encounter occurred. According to the analysis, this context received minimal attention across all three networks.

ABC World News Tonight spent just 12 seconds—0.5 percent of its 2,290 seconds of total coverage—mentioning alleged crimes by detained illegal aliens. CBS Evening News devoted 16 seconds (0.6 percent of 2,633 seconds), while NBC Nightly News provided the most coverage at 89 seconds (4 percent of 2,363 seconds) across seven mentions.

“Despite the melee in Minneapolis having resulted from a dispute over immigration enforcement, the crimes committed by the detained illegal aliens barely ever came up in the broadcast coverage.” —Media Research Center analysis

Contradicting Administration Narrative

The MRC findings arrive as the Trump administration faces its own scrutiny over the handling of the Good shooting investigation. At least six federal prosecutors and four top Civil Rights Division officials have resigned, citing political pressure to drop the investigation.

FBI supervisor Tracee Mergen, who initially opened a civil rights probe into Ross’s conduct, resigned after Justice Department officials directed her to reclassify the investigation as an inquiry into the deceased Good and her partner for potential criminal liability. A federal magistrate judge rejected a proposed search warrant treating Good as a suspect, noting she was already dead.

More than 100 prosecutors and career lawyers have resigned from the Justice Department since President Trump returned to office, according to a New York Times investigation, with many citing political interference.

Media Bias Debates And Real-World Impact

The MRC study has been widely circulated in conservative media circles, with Fox News and Newsmax featuring the findings prominently. MRC President David Bozell argued the disparity was deliberate rather than accidental, accusing networks of attempting to “nullify immigration law via manipulating public opinion.”

However, critics note that the MRC itself is a partisan organization with a mission to expose what it considers liberal media bias, and that the study did not examine whether the negative coverage was warranted by the circumstances of the shooting or the subsequent mass resignations of law enforcement officials.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office currently holds the sole remaining criminal investigation into Good’s death, though County Attorney Mary Moriarty has stated that federal authorities have taken key evidence including Good’s vehicle, Ross’s firearm, shell casings, and the agent’s cellphone.

Does the MRC study reveal genuine media bias, or does it reflect legitimate scrutiny of a controversial shooting that prompted unprecedented law enforcement resignations?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from the Media Research Center’s original study, Fox News’ coverage of the MRC findings, The New York Times’ reporting on FBI agent resignations, CNN’s coverage of the investigation, Just Security’s legal analysis, Newsbreak’s summary of the MRC study, and The Guardian’s reporting on Minneapolis media coverage.

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