ICE’s unwelcomed presence continuing in Minnesota, even recording their activity—which is your right as an American citizen—is enough to get you wrestled from your car and detained now. Since the tragic Renee Good encounter with ICE, it seems even realtors are keeping tabs on ICE’s cruelty, too. As the realtor shared in a video on TikTok, with visible road rash from his encounter, it didn’t take much to get a pair of leg irons in the Whipple Detainment Center.
At the start of Ryan Ecklund’s story, he admits, “This is a weird video to make.” This guy is a realtor. Political content is not what he does, but rather chill real estate videos and advice. He shares that he was “Okay,” and that ICE detained him for “10 hours,” right there in the very town he lives.
“I was recording and following their movements in my vehicle,” Ryan says, but quips “They didn’t like that.” What followed was “five ICE agents” pulling him out of his car, unable to drive away because they “boxed me in with their vehicles.” He was then thrown to the ground and detained, resulting in scrapes on his face, which are still visible.
According to Ryan, nothing he did warranted his rights being violated. He wasn’t in the way impeding an investigation or using his vehicle as a distraction, like “honking” or “driving erratically.” Not even flashing his lights.
“I care a lot about my community, my community members” and ICE’s activity is making the community feel “unsafe.” In fact, ICE had their “deadliest year” in two decades in 2025, according to The Guardian.
What was most disturbing about Ryan’s video wasn’t just the violation of rights, but the rights of others. In regards to other prisoners, Ryan states, “All of whom, at least in the cell I was in were U.S. citizens.”
And if all it takes to get detained, even one as short as Ryan’s, some may have committed no crime at all. What’s that say about any immigrant ICE sees on the street and calls illegal? If ICE wants to, they can racially profile you.
You don’t even have to be an immigrant anymore, illegal or otherwise. If all it takes to have your rights violated for simply recording ICE’s presence, then no one is safe. You could be a chill realtor who wants to keep his community safe and informed.
