Usually, people understand that reporters are not to be harmed and should be allowed to cover events truthfully as they unfold. But ICE agents don’t appear to share that belief, as it has become increasingly common for them to obstruct journalists who are simply doing their jobs. Recently, in Washington DC, an alarming example took place when an NPR reporter, known online as chiaraeisner on TikTok, attempted to document one of their operations.
The reporter went to Rock Creek Park, NW, in Washington DC to cover what was reported as an ICE raid. That same day, she also encountered what appeared to be an arrest tied to traffic enforcement. When she requested the agents’ identification, they avoided giving a direct answer. Instead, they casually mentioned names, briefly flashed badges pinned to their chests, and instructed her to stay back. They promised to provide proper ID after the arrest was complete. Yet that promise was quickly proven false. As soon as the arrest was over, the agents left without another word, walking away without ever confirming their identities.
Later in the day, the NPR reporter came across a second group of ICE agents, and this encounter was far more aggressive. One agent repeatedly ordered her to back up, even though she was already keeping a fair distance. The officer escalated matters, warning that if she didn’t retreat further, she could be taken “into custody.” As he pressed the threat, he also physically pushed her back. The reporter complied, moving away several times, but nothing seemed to satisfy the agent, who kept advancing and intimidating her. To make matters worse, the agents deliberately used their bodies to block her camera, shielding the ongoing arrest from view and preventing her from documenting what was happening.
The footage of these confrontations in Washington DC quickly spread online, drawing widespread criticism of the agents’ behavior. Many commenters argued that this was proof ICE knew what they were doing was wrong. After all, if their work was legitimate and lawful, why try so hard to keep it hidden from the press? Others pointed out that the agents had even covered their faces, a move that only fueled suspicion.
“SAY IT WITH ME: WHEN THE PRESS IS ATTACKED, THE TRUTH IS THEIR ENEMY,” one commenter declared. Another called the current state of America frightening, using words like tyrannical, dystopian, and authoritarian to describe what they saw. A Reddit user noted, “A masked police force is a secret police force. Secret police are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes.”
Some urged the NPR reporter to remain cautious, warning that the officers seemed like “thugs in uniform” who didn’t care about laws or accountability. “They’re wearing FBI T-shirts but no badges? So now they’re impersonating two different government agencies at the same time. This is egregious,” another user wrote, angered by the lack of transparency.
