ICE agents have been having a field day lately, arresting people left and right without even showing a warrant. These days, they can just grab someone off the street and make them disappear. Many American citizens are now living in fear, constantly worried that they might be the next person taken. Yet, despite the climate of intimidation, there are still those brave enough to stand up to Trump’s hunting dogs. One New York resident in Middletown recently did just that. He directly confronted two ICE agents and recorded the entire incident, capturing everything on camera. It began when he noticed the two agents heading toward a house to his right. He called out to them, asking what they were doing, and mentioned that he was a member of a community protection group.
The cameraman asked if they had a warrant signed by a judge. One ICE agent refused to show one, claiming there was no need, and told his partner to continue walking ahead while he dealt with the New York resident. When asked why he was questioning the agents, the resident explained that he was simply concerned about his neighbors.
Seeing that they couldn’t intimidate him or get any information, the agents continued toward the house. The cameraman demanded to see their badge numbers, but the agents ignored him and proceeded. The cameraman then shouted at the people living in the house, warning them not to open the door. Fortunately, the person inside refused to come out, preventing what could have been an unlawful arrest. The agents eventually left in their car, while the cameraman continued to call them “Gestapo” and questioned why they were covering their faces.
Internet users widely applauded the New York resident’s courage. Many pointed out that without his intervention, an unlawful arrest might have taken place that day. Others criticized the agents for not even showing basic decency, such as displaying a badge or a warrant.
One user wrote, “No badge numbers. Paid bounty hunters.” Others echoed the sentiment, even analyzing the agents’ outfits and noting they didn’t look like real officers. “Not a cop. Wearing tennis shoes, white socks, baggy jeans, t-shirt, undersized vest, backwards hat, no body cams, two different style weapons. The only thing that should differ is whether the gun is holstered on the right or left depending on how you shoot. Anyone not dressed like that is a bounty hunter and subject to 2A ramifications,” one Redditor explained.
Some users also warned that ICE agents might now be using facial recognition software to quickly identify targets. That could explain why the agents were holding their phones toward the cameraman. “Do not approach them without your face covered and sunglasses on,” one redditor warned. “They are taking photos and putting people into a database that only they can access.”