ICE agents have become one of the most controversial and disliked government groups in the United States. Over the years, countless reports have surfaced accusing them of abusing power, mistreating civilians, and even detaining people who are in the country legally. While officials continue to claim that ICE only targets undocumented immigrants, many Americans have grown skeptical after seeing repeated examples that suggest otherwise. One of ICE’s senior officials, Gregory Bovino, has also become a figure of public anger. Recently, he was caught on video mocking protesters outside a gas station in Waukegan, Illinois, and the footage quickly went viral.
In the clip, Gregory Bovino can be seen exiting a small convenience store surrounded by several heavily armed ICE agents. The Waukegan crowd around them shouts and curses, expressing frustration and anger. Instead of ignoring the protesters, Bovino appears calm and even smug as he walks toward his vehicle. His attitude seems to irritate the crowd even more, as people can be heard yelling at him to leave the area.
At one point, Bovino turns to one of the agents beside him and jokingly invites him to play a game of rock paper scissors. It is unclear what exactly he meant by the gesture, but to many viewers, it came across as mocking and disrespectful. Protesters interpreted it as a taunt, a way of showing that he did not care about the criticism or the outrage directed at him. His casual demeanor gave the impression that he was comfortable being the center of controversy and almost enjoyed the attention he was receiving from the angry crowd.
The person filming the video can be heard urging others in the crowd to stay calm and not react to Bovino’s behavior. Fortunately, the confrontation did not escalate further, and Bovino eventually left the gas station without incident. However, the video was quickly uploaded to ICE Out, a website dedicated to tracking and documenting ICE agents’ appearances across the country.
The clip spread rapidly across social media, drawing national attention and outrage. It was not just Waukegan residents who were upset. People from across the country expressed anger and disgust over Bovino’s conduct, calling it arrogant, disrespectful, and tone deaf.
“Laugh it up now, Bovino. Justice will find you eventually,” one user wrote. “If you think you will never have to answer for this, you are mistaken.” Others took a more cautious tone, warning protesters not to take the bait. “He is trying to provoke a reaction,” one Reddit user commented. “If protesters lose their cool, he will use it as an excuse to crack down and look tough for his supporters.”
