Recently, Cincinnati city leaders sent a powerful message: accountability matters. In a unanimous resolution, local officials urged ICE agents operating within city limits to follow the same policies that Cincinnati requires of its own police officer’s rules about visible identification, proper use of body cameras, and transparent engagement with the community. Under Cincinnati policy, officers are prohibited from intentionally concealing their identities; when asked by a citizen, they must clearly state their name, rank, and employee number. The resolution calls on ICE to abide by these same standards while working in our community. Local Cincinnati NAACP leaders have amplified this call, offered resources and organized support for community members concerned about enforcement practices. Transparency regarding knowing who is interacting with you is a basic safeguard in a democracy.
The resolution also denounced the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, by an ICE agent, a shooting that has sparked national outrage, protests, and calls for greater oversight of federal enforcement operations. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation in a residential neighborhood. Her death captured on video, sent shockwaves through Minnesota and across the country, prompting legal challenges, protests, and discussions about the appropriate role of federal agents in local communities.
Similarly, the killing of Alex Pretti has become a sobering symbol of what happens when enforcement operates without transparency or meaningful accountability. Pretti’s death galvanized advocates and community leaders, not only because of the tragedy itself, but because of the unanswered questions surrounding who was responsible and what standards governed the actions that led to his killing. His case continues to shape public discourse around civil liberties, due process, and the urgent need for clearer oversight of law enforcement practices.
Cincinnati’s resolution recognizes a simple truth: whether an officer wears a city police badge or a federal uniform, the people being governed have a right to know who is enforcing the law and what standards govern their conduct. The idea that some officers can operate without visible identification or mandatory body cameras undermines public confidence and makes meaningful oversight from community leaders, advocates, and citizens themselves impossible.
Critically, this issue is not about opposition to law enforcement or national security. It is about ensuring that power is exercised with transparency and under the scrutiny of the public it affects. Cincinnati’s leadership is acknowledging that federal operations do not happen in a vacuum. When agents operate in our neighborhoods, residents deserve to know who is engaging with them, why they are there, and how they can be held accountable if things go wrong.
We can demand accountability from every branch of law enforcement without diminishing the genuine need for public safety. Transparency is not a concession; it is a foundation of trust. As this conversation continues nationwide, Cincinnati’s stance, which is insisting that all agents operating here adhere to clear, visible, and accountable standards, should serve as a reminder that policy, principle, and humanity are inseparable in the pursuit of justice.