@dpekrul.bsky.social
What remains is how we, as engaged citizens, hold our government to account. Specifically, the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. www.vote.org
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January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
What remains is how we, as engaged citizens, hold our government to account. Specifically, the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. www.vote.org
Trying to help someone up out of the snow and ice and make sure they are okay is community and support. Documenting the aggressive and oppressive government agent is a required act to keep our government in check, required for holding power to account.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Trying to help someone up out of the snow and ice and make sure they are okay is community and support. Documenting the aggressive and oppressive government agent is a required act to keep our government in check, required for holding power to account.
To live in a functioning society as opposed to solitary and disjointed people requires us to work together, to look out for each other, to have empathy for others. Putting out an arm to break up an ICE agent from violent acts is a sign of community.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
To live in a functioning society as opposed to solitary and disjointed people requires us to work together, to look out for each other, to have empathy for others. Putting out an arm to break up an ICE agent from violent acts is a sign of community.
Yes, I agree that with rights come responsibilities. Stating “I have this right” while ignoring the responsibilities that having rights requires is childish and misleading.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Yes, I agree that with rights come responsibilities. Stating “I have this right” while ignoring the responsibilities that having rights requires is childish and misleading.
The ICE agent aggressively escalated the situation from verbal to physical by consciously moving himself over next to Alex. That’s more accurate.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The ICE agent aggressively escalated the situation from verbal to physical by consciously moving himself over next to Alex. That’s more accurate.
The ICE agent was a hot headed thug and was so improperly trained that he made the conscious decision to be even further outside of his jurisdiction and official duties (as previously laid out) that the ICE agent ceased to be an officer of the law and became an illegal aggressor against a citizen.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The ICE agent was a hot headed thug and was so improperly trained that he made the conscious decision to be even further outside of his jurisdiction and official duties (as previously laid out) that the ICE agent ceased to be an officer of the law and became an illegal aggressor against a citizen.
I take that back, as that softens the events and loses the point.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
I take that back, as that softens the events and loses the point.
Alex also has a right to observe and record, without interfering, officers of the law performing their duties. Again, let’s apply the contextuallessness of the “rights imply more responsibility.” Was Alex the one that walked into a situation? No. The situation came over to him.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Alex also has a right to observe and record, without interfering, officers of the law performing their duties. Again, let’s apply the contextuallessness of the “rights imply more responsibility.” Was Alex the one that walked into a situation? No. The situation came over to him.
Have we become so numb to the situation and our fellow citizens that we are instead willing to passively watch and record our neighbors roughed up and beat down and pepper sprayed into submission instead of wanting to try and step in and de-escalate the situation?
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Have we become so numb to the situation and our fellow citizens that we are instead willing to passively watch and record our neighbors roughed up and beat down and pepper sprayed into submission instead of wanting to try and step in and de-escalate the situation?
Knowing he was carrying, do we want to require our fellow citizens to turn into passive observers, always on the sidelines until their own life is imminently threatened? Would we have preferred to have Alex take 5 steps back, keep recording a video of an ICE agent being the aggressor to a citizen?
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Knowing he was carrying, do we want to require our fellow citizens to turn into passive observers, always on the sidelines until their own life is imminently threatened? Would we have preferred to have Alex take 5 steps back, keep recording a video of an ICE agent being the aggressor to a citizen?
Let's just pause and consider this further. Alex was legally carrying a gun. By the opening video, let’s apply the contextuallessness of the “rights imply more responsibility.”
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Let's just pause and consider this further. Alex was legally carrying a gun. By the opening video, let’s apply the contextuallessness of the “rights imply more responsibility.”
He was recording, as an observer of a confrontation that came over TO him. Should he have fled? Should Alex have run away, knowing he was legally concealed carrying? I argue ‘no’. The videos clearly show that Alex made no threatening attempts nor aggressive escalations towards the ICE agent.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
He was recording, as an observer of a confrontation that came over TO him. Should he have fled? Should Alex have run away, knowing he was legally concealed carrying? I argue ‘no’. The videos clearly show that Alex made no threatening attempts nor aggressive escalations towards the ICE agent.
So this gets us through the lead-up and to the agent shoving the woman to the ground, right next to Alex. He clearly saw the ICE agent being the aggressor, following the women over, looking for a fight instead of de-escalating the situation.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
So this gets us through the lead-up and to the agent shoving the woman to the ground, right next to Alex. He clearly saw the ICE agent being the aggressor, following the women over, looking for a fight instead of de-escalating the situation.
(I am also choosing to adhere to the States Rights and the concept of federalism, which is historically a conservative drum beat.)
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
(I am also choosing to adhere to the States Rights and the concept of federalism, which is historically a conservative drum beat.)
If these agents were instead national guards called up to assist local police, or if they were local or state level police or highway patrol or some other criminal law oriented officer, this would be a completely different situation.
But, these were federal ICE agents.
But, these were federal ICE agents.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
If these agents were instead national guards called up to assist local police, or if they were local or state level police or highway patrol or some other criminal law oriented officer, this would be a completely different situation.
But, these were federal ICE agents.
But, these were federal ICE agents.
With that context in mind, the ICE agents were acting in a crowd control and traffic law capacity they were not empowered to enforce. They were outside of their jurisdiction. Full stop.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
With that context in mind, the ICE agents were acting in a crowd control and traffic law capacity they were not empowered to enforce. They were outside of their jurisdiction. Full stop.
Again, tying this back to the Pretti case, an arrest was not in progress. The women did not assault an officer (I'll argue quite the opposite). And the women were unlikely to be in the US illegally. (Be pretty bold of them to be both illegal and protesters.)
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Again, tying this back to the Pretti case, an arrest was not in progress. The women did not assault an officer (I'll argue quite the opposite). And the women were unlikely to be in the US illegally. (Be pretty bold of them to be both illegal and protesters.)
Another take: "Agents can detain US citizens in limited circumstances, such as if a person interferes with an arrest, assaults an officer, or ICE suspects the person of being in the US illegally." (www.bbc.com/news/article...).
What is ICE and what powers do its agents have to use force?
The immigration agency is under scrutiny after fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
www.bbc.com
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Another take: "Agents can detain US citizens in limited circumstances, such as if a person interferes with an arrest, assaults an officer, or ICE suspects the person of being in the US illegally." (www.bbc.com/news/article...).
This is a far cry from "crowd control", criminal or civil law enforcement, much less local and state level law enforcement.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
This is a far cry from "crowd control", criminal or civil law enforcement, much less local and state level law enforcement.
From ICE website: "ICE officers and agents can initiate consensual encounters and speak with people, briefly detain aliens when they have reasonable suspicion that the aliens are illegally present in the United States, and arrest people they believe are illegal aliens." (www.ice.gov/immigration-...)
Immigration Enforcement Frequently Asked Questions
www.ice.gov
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
From ICE website: "ICE officers and agents can initiate consensual encounters and speak with people, briefly detain aliens when they have reasonable suspicion that the aliens are illegally present in the United States, and arrest people they believe are illegal aliens." (www.ice.gov/immigration-...)
I also want to point out the limits of what ICE agents are empowered to enforce.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
I also want to point out the limits of what ICE agents are empowered to enforce.
Officers of the law must not be instigated by verbal yelling.
www.freedomforum.org/cursing-at-p... “A properly trained officer may reasonably be expected to exercise a higher degree of restraint than the average citizen, and thus be less likely to respond belligerently to fighting words."
www.freedomforum.org/cursing-at-p... “A properly trained officer may reasonably be expected to exercise a higher degree of restraint than the average citizen, and thus be less likely to respond belligerently to fighting words."
Cursing at Police: Free Speech or Arrestable Offense?
Is it free speech to swear at law enforcement officers? Here's everything you need to know about cursing at police.
www.freedomforum.org
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Officers of the law must not be instigated by verbal yelling.
www.freedomforum.org/cursing-at-p... “A properly trained officer may reasonably be expected to exercise a higher degree of restraint than the average citizen, and thus be less likely to respond belligerently to fighting words."
www.freedomforum.org/cursing-at-p... “A properly trained officer may reasonably be expected to exercise a higher degree of restraint than the average citizen, and thus be less likely to respond belligerently to fighting words."
The ICE agent however, followed them, preventing separation and disengagement and de-escalation.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The ICE agent however, followed them, preventing separation and disengagement and de-escalation.
The lady that was pushed to the ground appeared in the video earlier, close, but not on top of, the agent near a vehicle. It is speculation, but words were most likely said. However, it is provable that the women protesters had walked away from the ICE agents and were creating separation.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The lady that was pushed to the ground appeared in the video earlier, close, but not on top of, the agent near a vehicle. It is speculation, but words were most likely said. However, it is provable that the women protesters had walked away from the ICE agents and were creating separation.
The ICE agent was completely out of control and looking for a fight. We don't know what the woman said to start the instigation. I find it extremely unlikely that her actions rose to the level of inciting violence or the capacity to inflict physical harm.
January 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The ICE agent was completely out of control and looking for a fight. We don't know what the woman said to start the instigation. I find it extremely unlikely that her actions rose to the level of inciting violence or the capacity to inflict physical harm.