Recent footage of an ICE raid in Los Angeles, California, has ignited criticism and fear. The footage, captured by a home security system, shows armed agents entering a residential home in what appears to be a search for undocumented immigrants. The nature of the raid, complete with tactical gear, night-vision setups, and military-style formations, has left many viewers drawing comparisons to the darkest chapters of 20th-century history.
Reddit users expressed deep concern at the normalization of such forceful entries into private homes without judicial warrants. The dominant feeling wasn’t anger, but fear.
“No warrant, no entry,” one top-voted commenter declared, accusing ICE of using “administrative warrants” that don’t hold legal weight in court. Others echoed the sentiment, calling the agents “cosplayers” in military garb. Users pointed out that what ICE often presents as a warrant is, in reality, an internal document lacking judicial approval. Yet for many Americans, the difference isn’t obvious, and ICE relies on that confusion.
Another user didn’t mince words, writing, “This is what the Gestapo did. It’s 1:1 Replika… going into people’s houses and looking for Jews. This time it’s just a different minority.” Others pointed to the way these raids are carried out with a level of militarization that seems intended to intimidate rather than enforce.
Critics were quick to call out the hypocrisy of groups that once rallied around the Constitution, especially the Second Amendment. “The 2A loons are IN THAT VIDEO,” one user wrote, calling out what they see as selective outrage from self-styled patriots. Another comment laid it bare: “This is exactly what the 2A was written to prevent.”
Frustration ran especially high among younger and liberal users who see a growing pattern where rights and protections are slowly eroded under the guise of law enforcement and border security. “Obama did it first” was a common deflection some commenters said they hear, but others swiftly dismissed the comparison, arguing that while deportation numbers were high under Obama, the current tactics are fundamentally more aggressive and dehumanizing.
“Obama gave due process,” one user wrote. “I don’t remember ICE taking over cities, going in people’s homes, blowing open doors.” Others emphasized that immigration enforcement under prior administrations, while far from perfect, didn’t resemble a scene from a dystopian war zone.
The militarization of ICE and its growing budget were also hot-button issues. Several users noted that the agency’s funding now rivals that of entire branches of the military, a shift that many see as intentional. “Fear. It’s simple,” one person commented. “They are intimidating people into compliance.”
In the video itself, what’s most unsettling is the silent manner of the operation. There’s no apparent resistance. The home appears calm. The ICE agents move from room to room, rifles ready, in search of people whose only crime may be living in the wrong place without the right papers. That silence, for many watching, speaks louder than anything else.
The public response has not just been one of condemnation. It’s also been a call to action. Dozens of users encouraged viewers to educate themselves and their neighbors about their rights. “If ICE comes to your home and can’t produce a warrant signed by a judge, you don’t have to let them in,” one user reminded others.
Whether this video becomes a turning point in the broader immigration debate remains to be seen. But for many, it’s already a reminder that history doesn’t repeat itself in the same way; it circles back, rebranded.
