Vice President JD Vance's comments on U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross' shooting of Minneapolis, Minnesota resident Renee Nicole Good are now attracting harsh criticism from one of his fellow Catholics.
In a Thursday column, National Catholic Reporter (NCR) digital editor John Grosso took Vance — who converted to Catholicism in 2019 — to task for saying that Good's death was "of her own making." Grosso also doubted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's claim that Good — a widow and mother of three — was carrying out an act of "domestic terrorism."
"There is no evidence that Good was in any way involved in domestic terrorism. Video evidence seems to entirely contradict Trump's explanation of the situation," Grosso wrote. "The ICE officer does not appear to have been injured and is seen casually walking away after the shooting."
Grosso lamented that despite Vance expressing solidarity with ICE in multiple social media posts, the vice president has yet to show "any remorse, prayers or condolences regarding Good and her loved ones." He noted that Vance is instead "leaning into divisive, tribalistic language to demonize Democrats" rather than offering thoughts and prayers to Good's family.
"A leader might take the opportunity provided by a fresh day to soothe the broken heart of a nation and appeal to the better angels among us," he wrote. "JD Vance went in a different direction."
"As a Catholic, Vance knows better than to peddle this brand of gaslighting and agitation," he continued. "Vance knows that, by virtue of her humanity, Good was endowed with inherent dignity, made in the image and likeness of God. Vance knows that only God can take life. Vance knows that protesting, fleeing or even interfering in an ICE investigation (which there is no evidence that Good did) does not carry a death sentence. Vance knows that lying and killing are sins."
"The vice president's comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith. His repeated attempts to blame Good for her own death are fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel," Grosso added. "Our only recourse is to pray for his conversion of heart."
Click here to read Grosso's full op-ed in the NCR.
