A viral video shot in Pomona, California, ignited outrage and online mockery in a scene that looked more like a low-budget military LARP than official government action. The video, shared on Instagram by @streetpeopleofpomona and Reddit, captures a lone man confronting what appear to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents dressed in mismatched tactical gear and full-face masks, operating out of unmarked civilian vehicles. The man’s explosive confrontation has struck a nerve across the internet.
“You signed for this, bitch! You wanted this job, didn’t you? Show your face!” he shouts, advancing toward a group of masked figures in ill-fitting vests. The agents, who offer no response, quickly retreat to their cars: an ignominious exit for individuals tasked with one of the federal government’s most controversial missions: the deportation of undocumented immigrants, many under increasingly aggressive enforcement actions.
The video has fueled widespread concern over the lack of transparency, oversight, and accountability surrounding ICE operations, especially under tactics popularized during the Trump administration. The agents’ uniforms are unmarked, their faces hidden, and their vehicles indistinguishable from any average SUV on the road. To many, this looks less like law enforcement and more like vigilantism with a federal budget.
Reddit commenters weren’t shy in dragging the appearance and professionalism of the agents. One user dubbed them the “Gravy Seals,” while another snarked, “The ASSstapo,” evoking both satire and fascist overtones. Multiple users mocked their child-sized plate carriers, questioning whether they would even stop a pellet gun, let alone provide real protection in the field. “One might think/hope that impersonating a federal agent has some ramifications…” noted one of the top-voted comments.
And therein lies the deeper concern: if these are official agents, what exactly does that say about how ICE is operating? And if they aren’t, what is the line between federal enforcement and paramilitary intimidation?
A Familiar Tactic, A Growing Problem
The use of unmarked vehicles, tactical gear, and masked identities has become a recurring feature of ICE and other federal agency operations in recent years. Similar tactics were seen during protests in Portland in 2020, where unidentified agents snatched demonstrators off the streets. In Pomona, the target appears to have been local residents who were at risk of arrest or deportation without community notification or local law enforcement coordination.
While many were content to mock the agents online, the man in the video took his protest to the streets. He embodies a kind of civil resistance that’s becoming more common as communities push back against what they see as unchecked state power. His chant—“Take off the mask, Mr. Tough!”—wasn’t just about the literal mask. It was a demand for transparency, accountability and a challenge to the faceless bureaucracy behind these human tragedies.
The irony was not lost on viewers. “So the mask to protect their identity is fine,” one commenter asked, “but a mask to protect others’ safety is when they ‘can’t breathe’?“
This moment in Pomona is a snapshot of a larger national reckoning with immigration enforcement, public accountability, and what federal power looks like when it walks your street in an off-brand vest and a ski mask.
Whether these agents were officially ICE or part of a contracted force, the optics do not look good. As the country continues to grapple with the fallout of years of aggressive immigration policies, we’re all wondering, who watches the watchers?
