With the building momentum of the recent happenings, ICE agents have no regard for anybody, not even elected officials. A councilman in New Jersey confronted a group of ICE agents and asked if they had a warrant, only to be dismissed disrespectfully. The exchange between the councilman and the masked agents was posted on Instagram.
“My name is Jake Ephros. I’m the city council person,” he said, and then asked if they were there for a particular person with a warrant. Immediately, one of the agents retorted, “There’s nothing you can say that will prevent us from doing our job, just letting you know. You’re wasting your time. We’re ICE, we’re clearly marked. So, you can continue talking, but we are not going to answer any questions. You can observe, so just stay there. You can observe, you can do whatever you want, but don’t interfere. Are we cool?”
When the councilman asked if they had a warrant again, the agent said, “We don’t need a warrant, bro.” The elected official followed the agents as they questioned particular people and then finally took one into custody. When they were about to get into an elevator, the agent who had spoken to the councilman before told him that he could not get on the elevator with them. “If you do come in, I’m going to consider you as interfering ok. That’s 18 U.S.C.111, you will be charged,” the agent said.
Many netizens were disturbed by the level of audacity the agents displayed. “What is this madness? This is why Americans don’t feel safe right now… because of ICE agents!” one wrote in the comments. “So they’re just blatantly admitting that they’re breaking the law now?” another asked. “Someone else said, “Isn’t it kidnapping if they grab people without a warrant?”
A couple of netizens were concerned about the agents, who were not White. “One day these Brown and Black ICE thugs are gonna realize… the pendulum will swing back on them FIRST!” one wrote. A second one said, “ Using people that look like the people you’re targeting is insane… It’s MORE insane that those people CHOOSE to do it. They will find out very soon that that mask doesn’t hide their NON-WHITE SKIN.” Another echoed, “Doing this to your own people speaks volumes. Blood is on your hands for doing their dirty work. Just how they always wanted it.”
One user said, “I’m wondering where they’re getting these people from? They have been clearly indoctrinated to believe they can trample on the citizens of this country with total disregard.”
Someone else wrote, “PD should start arresting them for impersonating an officer, because they are NOT police.” Another commented, “They have no jurisdiction and should be arrested by our local law enforcement, real OFFICERS.” A user noted, “They obviously don’t have time in their 47 days of training to learn anything about the laws.”
One netizen said sarcastically, “Super proud that Donald Trump is the US president and showing world dictators the new playbook.” Another wrote, “These yokels were told they’re immune, so that’s all the administration needs to get things done: dumb underlings that do whatever they’re told.”
