The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

ICE Is What Happens When Americans Refuse to Learn from Black History

Jan 9, 2026

The podcast explores the tragic killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent, revealing how propaganda distorts her story. It delves into the historical roots of policing and the Black Panther Party's activism against systemic oppression. There’s a powerful critique of ICE as a paramilitary force rather than a protective agency. The discussion also connects domestic injustices to international imperialism, especially in the context of Venezuela, encouraging listeners to learn from diverse histories. Tisby emphasizes storytelling and allyship as crucial tools for justice.

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ANECDOTE

The Human Life Behind The Headline

Jemar Tisby recounts who Renee Good was: a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, mother of three, poet, and devoted Christian.
He highlights that she appears never to have faced serious criminal charges before being killed by an ICE agent.

INSIGHT

ICE Beyond Its Stated Mission

Tisby notes the murder of a U.S. citizen by ICE exposes the agency's drift from its stated mission targeting undocumented immigrants.
He argues such incidents reveal how law enforcement can operate beyond its original scope and accountability.

INSIGHT

Propaganda And Moral Hypocrisy

Tisby calls out regime propaganda and lies, noting the president labeled Renee Good a domestic terrorist despite video evidence.
He links this pattern to a broader refusal to follow moral and legal norms like the Ninth Commandment against bearing false witness.

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ICE is what happens when Americans refuse to learn from Black history.

In this episode, I respond to the killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

I draw on the Black history, specifically the example of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

Finally, I turn to Venezuela.

I connect domestic repression to international aggression and argue that the same ideology animating ICE and CBP also fuels an imperial “crusader mentality” is visible in rhetoric about the Western Hemisphere and Venezuela and the theological justifications of power.

In this episode:

* The human stakes: who Renee Good was—and how quickly propaganda rewrites a life

* The hypocrisy of “Christian persecution” narratives under a regime that kills a “devoted Christian” at home

* Why Black communities have long warned that policing protects power, not people

* The Black Panthers, the Mulford Bill, and what armed Black self-defense revealed about American “law and order”

* ICE as a “personal army”: law enforcement powers without meaningful restraint

* Why learning only from Europe’s fascism archives narrows our survival toolkit

* Venezuela, Project 2025’s worldview, and the imperial logic of the “Western Hemisphere”

* Closing with The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance

Mentioned / recommended

* Jemar Tisby’s Substack: Footnotes (subscribe free or paid)

* The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance

* The Justice Journey: cornerstone course (registration opening soon)

* Data + reporting sources: Brennan Center for Justice and The Marshall Project

Who are the Black historians, activists, thinkers, and historical figures you return to when things get dark, and who should others follow? Let us know in the comments.

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