Rahway Protesters Decry ICE Shooting as Part of National Outcry
About 100 demonstrators gathered for an afternoon rally Sunday, citing the fatal shooting of Renee Good and demanding stronger protections for immigrant communities
Protesters gather near a monument along St. Georges Avenue in Rahway during a Sunday rally opposing ICE enforcement actions. (The Central Jerseyan)
January 12, 2026
Updated: January 13, 2026, 11:40 AM
About 100 protesters lined a stretch of St. Georges Avenue in Rahway on Sunday afternoon, joining a nationwide wave of demonstrations condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good last week in Minneapolis.
The protest ran from 2 to 3 p.m. and drew frequent honks of support from passing drivers, though the demonstration was not without tension. At least one protester, Bob Hespe, was struck by garbage thrown from a passing vehicle. He was not injured.
The Rahway rally was organized in response to Good’s death during an encounter with ICE agents. The Trump administration says the agent who fired acted in self-defense after Good began moving her vehicle, allegedly placing the agent in danger. Protesters and advocates dispute that account, saying Good was attempting to drive away.
Multiple cellphone videos of the incident have circulated publicly, but the footage has not resolved the debate over the circumstances of the shooting.
Lisa Vandever, a co-founder of Rahway Indivisible and one of the rally’s organizers, said the protest came together quickly in response to Good’s death.
“No matter what went into that situation, she did not deserve what happened to her,” Vandever said, calling the shooting “an obvious injustice.” She added that demonstrators were also calling attention to what organizers say are dozens of deaths involving ICE enforcement actions nationwide.
Beyond protest, Vandever said the group was focused on practical steps, distributing information on detainees’ rights and resources residents can use if someone is taken into custody. She also pointed to pending legislation in Trenton, including a package of bills tied to New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Act, which advocates say would limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Bob Hespe holds a handmade sign during Sunday’s anti-ICE protest in Rahway. (The Central Jerseyan)
Hespe, who traveled from Monmouth County to attend the rally, said he felt compelled to show up even before being struck by debris from a passing car.
“This is about opposing what’s being done to our immigrant neighbors,” Hespe said, adding that protest itself carries value even when outcomes are uncertain. He urged state lawmakers to support legislation aimed at protecting immigrant families.
Other participants echoed similar frustrations. Bob Silvestrini said he’s attended multiple protests over the past year and fears the country is “losing freedoms every day,” including the right to protest without fear of violence or retaliation.
“I shouldn’t have to be out here doing this,” Silvestrini said. “But here we are.”
He and others also expressed frustration with the size of Sunday’s rally, which was far smaller than the “No Kings Day” protest held over the summer.
“I wish these protests would get bigger and we’d see younger people here,” Silvestrini said.
Rahway Council Member Joanna Miles, who also attended the rally, said her concerns are shaped by her experience as an immigrant from England, her role in local government, and her work as a high school ESL teacher.
“People have good reasons for leaving their country, and it’s not easy for them,” Miles said. “And America welcomes immigrants. We don’t throw them out and terrorize them and split families up.”
She described fear among immigrant students, some of whom she said alter their routes to and from school and avoid public places out of concern they or family members could be detained.
“It’s a very stressful, scary time for them,” Miles said.
Miles voted in support of a resolution passed by Rahway’s City Council supporting the Immigrant Trust Act. She said she has also written to New Jersey’s U.S. senators urging action.
A protester in a chicken costume joins Sunday’s Rahway rally, part of an effort by demonstrators to keep the protest lighthearted and nonviolent. (The Central Jerseyan)
For some attendees, the protest doubled as a family affair. Diane Belinski traveled from Middletown to join relatives, including younger family members, at the demonstration.
“Acting is the way you overcome despair,” Belinski said, pointing to voting, contacting representatives, and sustained civic engagement as next steps.
Her niece, Kellie Kneisel, said she felt encouraged by the rally.
“I know a lot of young people are very passionate about this, but I think that we get a little trapped in seeing all the negative, and we don’t think that we can do anything about it,” she said.
Janet Kneisel, Kellie’s mother, said Good’s death has caused her to worry about the well-being of her family. “It could be any one of us,” she said.
Despite moments of hostility from passing vehicles, organizers said the steady stream of supportive honks underscored why they believe public demonstrations still matter.
“This isn’t just about one incident,” Vandever said. “It’s about visibility, accountability, and letting people know they’re not alone.”
Similar rallies were held in other parts of Central Jersey over the weekend. Dozens of protesters rallied in Highland Park on Sunday.
Anti-ICE protesters gather in Highland Park on Sunday as part of a regional wave of demonstrations against immigration enforcement actions. (The Central Jerseyan)
In Metuchen, more than 100 people gathered to rally in support of resident Sener Kalkan, according to officials. In a post on Facebook, Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch says Kalkan has been held in detention for more than 40 days without due process after being taken into custody during a routine immigration hearing.
“We do not control federal immigration policy locally,” Busch says. “But when a member of our community is treated unfairly, it is our responsibility to speak out on behalf of the residents of our community and to ensure that what happened is not quietly accepted. Because if this happened to someone like Sener who complied, it will happen to others.”
Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch, and Jennifer Poandl, the wife of Sener Kalkan, speak during a Saturday event in Metuchen supporting Kalkan, who has been held in ICE detention for more than 40 days, according to the mayor. (Source: Rep. Frank Pallone via Facebook)