America seems to be slipping further backward, with racism and blatant racial profiling becoming more widespread and normalized in many parts of the country. It’s not just the usual racists spewing hateful rants online or on the streets; now, government agents are joining in. At the center of this growing controversy are ICE agents, who many claim have become the loyal followers of Trump and his administration. From unlawful arrests to violent crackdowns on protestors, news of ICE’s overreach has spread far and wide across social media.
The latest incident making waves involves ICE agents stopping truck drivers on the highway for interrogation. Their justification? None whatsoever. These hardworking men and women weren’t breaking any laws; their only “offense” was the color of their skin. That’s right, this was blatant racial profiling in action. To make matters worse, ICE agents reportedly judged truckers by their English fluency. One Michigan trucker captured the ordeal on video, showing the moment he was pulled over by a pair of agents on I-94.
Thankfully, the situation didn’t escalate into violence or arrest. When asked where he was headed, the driver replied that he was on his way to Wyoming. After that, they let him go. But the fact that they stopped him in the first place without any probable cause spoke volumes.
The Michigan trucker himself seemed well aware of what was going on. In the video, he mentioned trying to get the ICE agents to explain why they stopped him, but they stayed tight-lipped and dismissive. When the clip hit the internet, outrage spread quickly. Viewers across the country condemned the incident as a clear act of racial profiling and a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures.
“Amendment IV. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches…” one user quoted, emphasizing how the agents’ behavior crossed constitutional boundaries.
Others questioned why the Michigan trucker didn’t simply ignore them and keep driving. But as many pointed out, that’s easier said than done, especially when dealing with ICE, an agency notorious for its ruthlessness and disregard for accountability. Trying to drive away could’ve easily led to an arrest or worse.
Some commenters took a more analytical approach, suggesting that the incident might be linked to yet another of Trump’s executive orders. One Redditor explained, “I was wondering when they were going to start this nonsense. It’s all related to an Executive Order from April 28th, called ‘Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers.’ It instructs DOT inspectors at weigh stations and possibly even regular state troopers during traffic stops to strictly enforce rules regarding English proficiency for commercial truck drivers. That means they can force a driver to take an English test on the spot.”
The user went on to warn about how easily this policy could be abused: “It allows inspectors to put CDL drivers ‘out of service’ if they can’t pass the test, and that’s completely subjective. A racist cop or inspector could use it to harass minority drivers. It could even cost people their jobs over something as small as having a thick accent or a stutter, depending on the mood of whoever’s in charge.”
