After Minneapolis shooting, Raleigh mayor raises concern about federal intervention
Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said the fatal shooting of Renee Good during an immigration action in Minneapolis raises broader concerns about federal law enforcement in American cities.
On Tuesday afternoon, Cowell asked for a review of city policy on demonstrations and released a statement warning that federal intervention based on “unknown and subjective criteria” can hurt public safety and erode trust between residents and police.
“My goal is to keep all residents of Raleigh safe and protect our First Amendment rights,” Cowell said in the statement. “In the State of North Carolina, cities have weaker authority relative to the state. Current NC state law expressly prohibits ‘sanctuary cities’ and requires coordination with federal immigration enforcement agencies.”
Raleigh is pursuing “a unified approach” involving City Manager Marchell Adams-David, Police Chief Rico Boyce, and Gov. Josh Stein, she said.
“I aim to be deliberate in what I say and do so as not to unduly put residents at risk or impede public servants from effectively doing their jobs,” the statement read.
Cowell said Raleigh police are well trained, accountable and deeply connected to the community, noting that officers wear identifying name badges, use body cameras and can be held responsible for misconduct.
In contrast, she said, federal agents often lack local relationships and operate with less transparency, leading to confusion and damage to public trust.
In November, the U.S. Border Patrol made several arrests in Raleigh after “Operation Charlotte’s Web” in Mecklenburg County. Cowell confirmed then that agents were also coming to the Triangle, and their presence sparked protests in the Triangle area. Siembra NC, an immigrant-rights group said at least a dozen people were detained, including landscapers and construction workers.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, Cowell asked city staff members to review Raleigh’s protest policies.
“This year there’s a lot happening at the national, international and local level, and we’ve had a number of people wanting to express their thoughts about those current events in the city of Raleigh,” Cowell said. “We are the capital, so we know we attract a lot [of protests].”
City leaders may need to amend the rules “given the level of activity and public kind of debate and demonstration gong on right now.”
Raleigh’s population of over 500,000 residents includes 14% immigrants, like in Minneapolis.
Meanwhile, Raleigh was ranked 10th among the nation’s largest U.S. cities for community safety by SmartAsset and 22nd in the country for community safety by WalletHub.
“We will continue to live our values and welcome all residents of this great city,” the mayor said.
She said her heart went out to Good’s wife, children, loved ones and the Minneapolis community.
Anna Roman contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 4:24 PM.