Things concerning the current presidential administration and its stance against illegal immigration have blown up recently. We’ve seen things from ICE agents raiding schools and hospitals to elderly people and children handcuffed and shipped to who knows where. Most recently, ICE raided an apartment building in Reseda, a neighborhood within Los Angeles, California. What’s worse is that the agents were spotted shaking hands with LAPD officers, as though in support of their actions.
Since the inauguration of the current presidential administration earlier this year, public pressure has significantly increased due to unexpected raids in areas that were previously considered safe. Based on what we know, ICE agents operate as a distinct sector of the government, and their ranks can include both trained personnel and individuals who act as vigilantes, dressed in bulletproof vests and masks. However, they never seem to be police officers.
The images above appear to have been taken immediately after the raid had concluded. A masked agent wearing a vest with the Homeland Security Investigations initials on it walks over to an LAPD officer and they shake hands, almost thanking one another for their involvement. While it could have very well been a polite gesture of acknowledgment since the two happen to be in the same place, it strikes me as odd.
It definitely struck Reddit users as odd. One user commented on the photos, saying, “Police and HSI shaking hands should tell you everything you need to know about where LAPD stands and by extension where the city government stands.”
More than half of the Reseda community is made up of Hispanic men and women, making it an inevitable target for these sorts of raids. Considering there’s no telling how these can end up, it makes sense for the LAPD to be present. Despite that, if officers aren’t going to protect people from these baseless ICE kidnappings, then they really shouldn’t necessarily flaunt their relationship with the kidnappers; just saying.
