Bruce Springsteen Condemns ICE at Surprise New Jersey Benefit, Dedicates Song to Minneapolis Shooting Victim
New Jersey rock legend Bruce Springsteen used a surprise concert appearance to deliver a passionate address condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and urging the agency to leave Minneapolis, amid national outrage over the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent.
Springsteen took the stage Saturday night at a charity event in Red Bank, New Jersey, benefiting Parkinson’s disease research, where he delivered an emotional two‑minute speech before performing.
Before launching into his 1978 classic The Promised Land, Springsteen dedicated the performance to Good, a 37‑year‑old mother of three who was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month — a moment that has ignited widespread debate over federal enforcement tactics.
Bruce Springsteen Urges Audience to Reject ICE Presence in Minneapolis During Surprise New Jersey Show
Bruce Springsteen delivered an impassioned two‑minute speech over the weekend, telling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to “get the f‑k out” of Minneapolis during a surprise concert appearance in New Jersey.
“I don’t want to be out of order tonight,” the 76‑year‑old rock legend told the crowd of roughly 1,500 at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, part of the Light of Day Winterfest charity event.
Before performing his 1978 classic The Promised Land, Springsteen reflected on writing the song as “an ode to American possibility,” describing the United States as “a beautiful but flawed country — the country we are and the country we could be.”
Calling the nation’s current moment “incredibly critical,” Springsteen said American values are being tested as never before in modern history. He urged the audience to oppose what he described as the deployment of heavily armed federal forces and to stand up for democratic principles.
“If you believe in the power of the law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily armed, masked federal troops invading an American city using ‘Gestapo tactics’ against our fellow citizens,” he said, before echoing calls from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for ICE agents to leave the city.
Springsteen dedicated The Promised Land to Renee Good, a 37‑year‑old mother of three who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month — a tragedy that has sparked nationwide debate and protests over federal enforcement tactics
At the AFI FEST 2025 Presented by Canva Opening Night premiere of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere in Hollywood on Oct. 22, 2025, Bruce Springsteen honored Renee Good — the Minneapolis mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE agent earlier this year — by dedicating a song to her memory, drawing cheers from the audience.
Good, 37, was shot multiple times during an ICE operation in Minneapolis on Jan. 7 following a confrontation between federal agents and demonstrators, an incident that has sparked widespread protests and scrutiny of ICE tactics.
Springsteen has frequently shared strong political views at live performances, and his dedication at the AFI Fest event continued his long‑recorded pattern of outspoken commentary on social issues.
