With their gear and guns, one would think that ICE agents would be facing off against people their own size, hardened criminals, and dangerous individuals, the kind of people law enforcement is supposedly meant to stop. Yet it has become painfully clear that these thugs in uniform prefer to target civilians who cannot fight back. And if you think that is the lowest they could go, you would be wrong. A recent incident in Portland, Oregon, showed that these agents could indeed sink much lower. During a protest, witnesses were horrified when ICE agents targeted a blind man who was peacefully participating. Did the blind man attack the agents? Did he threaten them in any way? The answer is no. He was simply sitting on the ground, holding his cane and wearing a bright green vest.
Then a group of ICE agents emerged from their Portland hideout. Their supposed justification for capturing him? Allegedly, he had crossed a blue line they had marked on the ground, an area they claimed was off-limits to anyone unauthorized. If anyone stepped past it, they said, that person would be arrested immediately. But the blind man never crossed the line. He was merely sitting quietly when the agents decided he was a weak enough target to bully and arrest.
As if that were not enough, they dragged him upside down like a sack of potatoes before their clumsy grip slipped, causing the man to hit his head on the pavement. When questioned, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that the blind man was “trespassing” and “obstructing officers,” despite the fact that he was clearly blind, sitting still, and posed no threat whatsoever. The man was later released, though he was charged with failure to comply.
It was not just the protesters in Portland who were shocked and enraged by what they saw. Across the internet, countless users expressed their outrage at the horrifying actions of the ICE agents. “This is appalling and disgusting behavior. This is not law enforcement, it is brutality,” one user wrote. Others commented that it was time to stop being surprised by what ICE was capable of. It has become clear that this organization is not here to protect American citizens but to help Trump spread terror and racism, targeting those they deem not white enough or those brave enough to stand against tyranny and fascism.
“As soon as we saw Trump openly mock a reporter with disabilities, we should have realized this ideology has no respect for people who are differently abled,” another user wrote. “I am so, so sad that we have reached a point in time where we can see such self-righteous apathy and hate, born from the dehumanization encouraged by our current government.”
