Regardless of whether you’re a US citizen, it appears those who fit the racial profiling for an ICE agent’s quota will be harassed. That said, 23-year-old Elzon Lemus was driving to work in Long Island, New York, when immigration agents pulled him over. “What’s up, guys? Can I see your ID, please?” the shady individual asked. When Lemus responded by asking why, the ICE agent replied, “Cause you look like someone I’m looking for.” Scared, Lemus rolled up the window very slightly, which is when the agent got aggressive, reaching into the car to unlock and open the car door before handcuffing Lemus.
“[It] Felt like they stripped my rights; I was honestly shocked,” the New York resident said, per NBC New York. Eager to add to their quota, the agents searched Lemus for his ID but were disappointed when they discovered that he was indeed a US citizen. “Without saying anything, they just left. They were pretty upset because they couldn’t take us — me and my coworker,” the 23-year-old shuddered. If it wasn’t clear already, the ICE agent had zero concern for violating any constitutional rights and stopped Lemus on a hunch based purely on racial profiling. It goes without saying the internet was not pleased with this act of discrimination.
“We already know that ICE is basically institutionalized racism that wants to brazenly violate rights,” remarks a Reddit user reacting to the innocent New York man’s story. Another commenter takes things to the extreme and speaks out about ICE agents with the strongest verbiage they could use:
“We need to start calling them the traitors they are. Nazis, yes while still serious, have almost become a meme. It’s easier for them to shrug off too. They’re traitors to this country and the Constitution so let’s start calling them out as such.”
Others voiced a similar sentiment, criticizing how the agents acted and mistreated their ‘victims.’ “F*** racial profiling, this is literally why the 4th amendment was added. This is WHY we had a revolution,” one person says. Another commenter chimes in, “ICE is the American Gestapo. With every passing day, we are getting closer to the point where non-peaceful resistance will become necessary.”
As one Reddit user puts things, the scary thing about ICE is that they don’t need to wear distinguishing uniforms, provide a badge number, or even identify themselves. Instead, they are a “roving group of armed thugs” who do not even identify as law enforcement. They are nothing more than “armed masked men who attempt kidnapping” under Trump’s authority. Simply put, diabolical and despicable human beings.
