It’s time for every citizen who cares about democracy and civil rights to demand that any candidate seeking their vote pledge to put an end to the cowardly thuggery of Trump, ICE and all of those trying to destroy the nation.
ICE agents are nothing more or less than Donald Trump’s version of the Hitler’s Third Reich’s storm troopers and brown shirts. The only difference? The Nazis wore snazzy uniforms and did not wear masks.
Let’s be clear about what we are looking at with ICE. These are thugs dressed in jeans, camo, Kevlar and wearing masks. They are over-armed, undertrained and driving unmarked vehicles. They are bullies abusing their statutory authority, assuming they even know what that authority is.
Every U.S. citizen who believes in the Constitution and the rule of law should be protesting ICE at every opportunity. No voter should cast a ballot for any candidate who does not promise to make ICE agents operate under the laws and regulations that apply to them; additionally, those candidates should promise to put agents in identifiable uniforms, with no masks, and in clearly marked vehicles.
The average German did not stand up to the storm troopers. In many cases that failure understandably was out of pure fear; in others, it was because they felt like it could never happen to them. Fact: When armed thugs are allowed to roam the streets and attack people on a whim eventually no one – repeat, NO ONE – is safe.
If you ever have wondered what ICE agents are authorized to do, the powers are laid out clearly in the Immigration and National Act.
Agents can:
- Question individuals believed to be noncitizens about their right to be in the United States.
- Arrest noncitizens without a warrant if there is reason to believe they are unlawfully present and likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.
- Conduct certain searches and vehicle boardings within 100 air miles of the U.S. border, as defined by federal regulation.
Critically, these powers apply to noncitizens. U.S. citizens cannot be arrested, detained, or removed on a civil immigration basis because they are not subject to immigration law.
When it comes to searches of vehicles, note that provision that it must be within “100 air miles of the U.S. border.” Most ICE vehicle stoppings and home invasions fall outside of that.
Specially, what is it ICE cannot do? In a nutshell:
- Detain U.S. citizens on civil immigration grounds.
- Issue immigration detainers against citizens.
- Remove citizens from the United States.
- Ignore constitutional limits on searches, seizures, or use of force.
If you look back to all the actions taken since Trump was sworn into his second term – vehicle stops, beatings, killings, home invasions, “arrests,” they are replete with violations of ICE’s authority.
How are they getting away with it? For starters they get away with it because of dictator wanna-be and his version of the Goebbels, Himmler, Speer, Goering, Bormann, Ribbentrop, Keitel losers and psychopaths are standing behind them and justifying ICE actions through constant lying.
But they also get away with it because not enough everyday Americans are pissed enough to call and write their elected officials and most important, go out into the streets when it’s learned ICE is in an area and operating.
But a lot of folks are hitting the streets, and it makes a difference. It’s now possible for anyone – undocumented person, green-card holder, naturalized citizen or even a local Daughters of the American Revolution member – to get a “red card” to always carry with them. It is a guide to what to say if you are confronted with ICE.
ICE also needs to have its thuggery documented. That is happening. People are taking videos and pictures. In some cases, these people have been threatened and even beaten. What you need to know is, you have every right on a public street or sidewalk to take pictures and video. The ACLU has a nice summation. Read it and understand it and then film away!
Is it legal to film ICE agents?
Yes. The First Amendment protects your right to film ICE in public, and you cannot be punished for that alone. If you are in a public place, you have the right to record ICE and other agents, if you don’t interfere with or obstruct their operations, or break another valid law while you’re filming. If you are on private property, owners can set their own rules about photography and filming. The First Amendment also equally protects both professional members of the press and regular people’s right to record immigration and law enforcement in public.
Do we have to give ICE our phones if they demand them? Can they delete my recording?
If you are not under arrest, then you do not have to give a government agent your phone unless they have a warrant signed by a judge. If you are arrested, then they can lawfully take your phone, but they still need a warrant to look through it. Under no circumstances can the government delete your recordings or other data.
It’s time to stand up to ICE in whatever way your talents and conditions allow you to. Make no mistake about it – ICE, combined with all the Jan. 6 insurrectionists Trump pardoned, are his militia in his war against democracy and freedom. Every day, every week that goes by without protesting their actions makes them stronger and makes democracy weaker.
If ICE is in your community, join others in monitoring ICT activities. Document the abuses. Let your local, state and Federal officials no you are not going to remain silent, sitting on the sidelines, as our version of Hitler’s thugs roam our streets and kick in our doors.
Jordan is a pseudonym for a writer who has spent a career writing about politics and being involved in business and politics at several levels. To protect those who have been associated with him he uses the pseudonym.