Civil rights advocates and scholars say the US government’s claims are troubling indicators of rising authoritarianism

After New York City comptroller Brad Lander this week became the latest prominent Democrat to be arrested while monitoring and protesting US immigration authorities, the Trump administration trotted out a familiar refrain to justify his detention.

The mayoral candidate had ā€œassaultedā€ law enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asserted, warning ā€œif you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequencesā€.

The accusation, which DHS has also recently leveled against a member of Congress and a high-profile union leader, have sparked consternation, particularly as videos of the incidents did not show the officials attacking officers and instead captured officers’ aggressive behavior and manhandling of the officials.

  • Miles O'Brien@startrek.website
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    9 hours ago

    So far I have yet to see ANY form of ICE in uniform with proper identification visible, so as far as I am concerned these kidnap victims would have been within their constitutional right to defend themselves by any means necessary, using whatever force they can. If that means ICE start getting executed when they ā€œforgetā€ these things, well so be it. It’s what they deserve for dressing like that/behaving like that/insert right wing excuse for assaulting women a minorities here.