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New York Woman Harassed By ICE and Police For Exercising Her Constitutional Rights, ‘If there’s no database, why are they recording?’

They wanted to spook her

Brady Klinger-MeyersBy 2 Mins Read
New York Woman Harassed By ICE and Police For Exercising Her Constitutional Rights, 'If there’s no database, why are they recording'
Image Source: northernnycoalition/TikTok, The Nerd Stash

Exercising your rights is without a doubt scary, because exercising said rights have consequences, too. So, when someone tries to intimidate you out of exercising your rights, what do you do? How it looks is what one woman in New York experienced when she encountered ICE and a county sheriff, which was then shared on TikTok. It’s frustrating seeing two bullies intimidate regular people, but it’s also refreshing to see someone stand up for themselves.

Shared by Northern NY Coalition on TikTok, the video depicts a woman pulled over on the side of the ride, with a Border Patrol vehicle ahead of her, and a sheriff’s vehicle behind her. Through the window, the woman speaks to a Saint Lawrence County Sheriff, who asks if she’s okay. She assures him, but explains it’s her “constitutional right” to follow, photograph, and film public officers. She also refuses to roll down her window.

@northernnycoalition

At approximately 11am today, an ICE Patrol watcher spotted and followed a CBP vehicle in Potsdam on Pierrepont Ave. The watcher followed the CBP vehicle through Pierrepont and back toward Potsdam when the CBP vehicle pulled over and approached the watcher’s vehicle. Through the window, the watcher told the CBP officer that they were exercising their constitutional rights to watch & record public officers. The CBP officer got back in his vehicle and began driving very fast through Pierrepont on Pierrepont Ave into Potsdam, over the speed limit. The watcher continued to follow the CBP vehicle through Potsdam. CBP was joined by a Saint Lawrence County Sheriff’s vehicle and after following both for some time down Route 11, both vehicles turned into a Self-Storage facility parking lot on Route 11 in Canton. The watcher also stopped and waited for them to pull back on to the road. The SLC sheriff’s vehicle pulled out toward Canton and the CBP vehicle pulled out toward Potsdam, following yet another CBP vehicle they called in. They seemed to think they were going to be slick and box in the watcher’s vehicle on the side on Route 11, but the watcher was ready with phone in hand to record and a firm knowledge of constitutional rights. Below is how the scenario played out. In all, two CBP vehicles and one SLC Sheriffs vehicle were used to intimidate and harass a single watcher. In the video you can clearly see the CBP officer trying to take video of the watcher’s face and vehicle/plate. It is our First Amendment right to document and record law enforcement, regardless of local or federal status. Intimidation and harassment only fuels the need for more patrols and more watchers. It is our constitutional right to protect our communities from law enforcement who terrorize them, such as ICE, Customs & Border Patrol, and local law enforcement who align themselves as fascists.

♬ original sound – northernnycoalition

“I didn’t do anything illegal. I’m not doing anything illegal now,” the ICE Patrol watcher said. At this point, both the SLC sheriff are standing outside. The agent raises his phone to take pictures of the woman.

As they both leave, the woman shouts out, “Go [expletive] yourself.” There’s nothing either of them can do, so leaving is their only option. Others also wondered why the ICE agent was recording her.

The comments were, unsurprisingly, in favor of the watcher. She’s well within her rights to film ICE agents. You don’t have to like it. One commenter even suggested she “sue” because they “violated your rights.” Is it petty? Absolutely, but we can’t afford to be good faith when public officers are being intimidating for a citizen exercising their constitutional rights.

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“It’s not illegal to follow them. It’s not illegal to photograph or film them. The lady should have asked for identification of both and then filed complaints against them,” stated one.

“If there’s no database, why are they recording?” another asked in the comments. ICE has been seen doing this several times, likely “trying to scare” you for recording them, as one other commenter suggested.

Whether ICE and police like it, the First Amendment right gives this ICE Patrol watcher the right to record.

Related Topics
human interest New York
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Brady has been writing about video games for the better part of four years. When he isn't obsessing over RPGs or games from his childhood, there's a good chance he's working on another short story.

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