There is one major problem with Rep. Jeffries’ suggestion that we simply criminally investigate and prosecute every ICE agent who breaks the law… All new hires were taught to violate the constitution. A whistleblower testified under oath before Congress, months ago, that ICE recruits were being trained in ways that instructed them to violate the Constitution. Former ICE assistant chief counsel and academy instructor, Ryan Schwank, testified that the agency’s own training was teaching recruits to disregard constitutional protections. This is not a handful of bad actors going rogue. This is a system that has been built to normalize abuse, remove accountability, and make violating the constitution easier to carry out. That is why I have been able to post at least one video a day, since September, showing ICE agents violating people’s constitutional rights. The problem is not just the agents in the field. The problem is the entire agency. This will not be solved with a new training memo, or a new director. It requires dismantling a system that has repeatedly failed to protect constitutional rights… and holding this administration accountable.

🚨BREAKING: An ICE agent was just caught on video violently shoving a TEENAGER to the ground, in a Chicago suburb. But it gets worse… In Joliet, IL, ICE agents jumped out of their cars, racially profiled a man, began handcuffing him, and forced him into an unmarked vehicle that had its license plate covered. And they did all of this before even confirming who he was. As U.S. citizens began recording the incident, ICE agents started forcing them farther back, even though they were not interfering with the arrest. One of the agents looked at a teenager, who was just standing there and filming, and said, “Step back a little bit.” The teenager wasn’t interfering. In fact, a woman was standing even closer. And then, without warning, the ICE agent violently shoved the teenager to the ground. Moments later, another ICE agent pulled out a taser and threatened the legal observers, despite them remaining away from the vehicle, and not interfering. And after all of that, about 20 minutes later… ICE released the man they had kidnapped because they realized he was not undocumented. Think about how insane that is… A man was detained, handcuffed, and taken away before ICE even confirmed they had the right person. That’s exactly why the Fourth Amendment exists… to protect people from unreasonable seizures by the government. And then there is the issue of an ICE agent shoving a teenager to the ground… Using significant physical force against someone, especially a teenager, who is not posing an immediate threat, not resisting, and not interfering… is excessive force. Federal agents do not get a free pass to assault teenagers because they are standing nearby. The First Amendment protects the right to record law enforcement in public, and government officials cannot use intimidation, or force, to silence people who are lawfully documenting their actions. This wasn’t just about one man being kidnapped…. It was about everyone standing there. A teenager was thrown to the ground. Legal observers were threatened. U.S. citizens exercising their constitutional rights were intimidated. And an innocent man lost 20 minutes of his freedom because ICE believes they are allowed to kidnap anyone they want. So, why are these ICE agents not being held accountable?