Trump authorizes Ice agents to protect themselves using 'whatever means' necessary

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sat 12 Jul 2025 10.28 EDT
Last modified on Sat 12 Jul 2025 19.10 EDT


Donald Trump has given “total authorization” to federal immigration agents to protect themselves after a series of clashes with protesters, including during enforcement raids on two California cannabis farms.

“I am giving Total Authorization for Ice to protect itself, just like they protect the Public,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday, adding that he was directing the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, and border czar, Tom Homan, to arrest anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) protesters who impede immigration enforcement operations.

Trump said he’s told the administrators to “instruct all Ice, Homeland Security, or any other Law Enforcement Officer who is on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so”.

The president appeared to be referring to an incident on Thursday when federal agents clashed with protesters during immigration raids on two farms in California’s Ventura county, north of Los Angeles.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/12/trump-authorization-immigration-enforcement

[Irish_Dem]

1. ICE can beat up and kill anyone they want.

Accuse them of anything to justify it.

[Girard442]

2. "They assaulted my ears with insults, so I had to defend myself by fracturing their skulls."

[wolfie001]

3. Fat nazi pig!

Now what?

[BoRaGard]

4. gICEstapo Uber Ales (R)

[sinkingfeeling]

5. No longer a country of laws when a wannabe king decides who can overpower whom.

[twodogsbarking]

6. We are at war. Make no mistake.

[OldBaldy1701E]

18. I wish more would understand this. (n/t)

[Wiz Imp]

7. ICE is supposed to follow the law too. (In reality, they are breaking the law left and right)

Congress passed a law in 2021 requiring all federal agents, including those from ICE, to wear visible identification indicating the government agency they represent when undertaking crowd control during protests.

I'm pretty sure they are not complying with this.

regulations state that an ICE agent should identify themselves as a federal agent and state the reason for the arrest "as soon as it is practical and safe to do so."

Nor are they following this.

ICE agents may be able to make an arrest in a public space without an administrative or judicial warrant if they have probable cause and the immigrant is likely to flee.

Yet another law they re not following.

A reminder that:

Mere undocumented presence in the United States alone, however, in the absence of a previous removal order and unauthorized reentry, is not a crime under federal law.

therefore they should not even be going after these people unless they have committed some other offense (which most of them have not).

[MichMan]

35. Correct; It is not a criminal offense, but is however a civil offense

"A reminder that:

Mere undocumented presence in the United States alone, however, in the absence of a previous removal order and unauthorized reentry, is not a crime under federal law.

therefore they should not even be going after these people unless they have committed some other offense (which most of them have not)."

Being in the U.S. without documentation is considered a civil matter, said Nancy Morawetz, professor of clinical law at New York University School of Law. "Being present in the U.S., that status, is not a crime," Morawetz said.

That doesn’t mean undocumented immigrants can live in the U.S. without consequence, said Rick Su, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law. Federal authorities can deport them.

A criminal violation comes with a punishment, like time in prison. Civil cases come with penalties instead. Deportation is considered a penalty under federal law, not a punishment.

"Congress can decide what they want to make a crime and what they want to make a civil violation," Su said. "What they’ve decided is that immigration violations by themselves are civil violations."

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2017/dec/02/kathy-sheehan/being-undocumented-immigrant-us-not-crime/

Looking at the link, entering the country illegally is a crime, but just being here undocumented is a civil matter.

There are some immigration laws that can land an immigrant in criminal court. Entering the U.S. illegally is a crime, for example, but staying after a temporary visa has expired is a civil violation

[Wiz Imp]

36. The Trump administration said they were trying to "round up" criminals, i.e. people who have committed offenses beyond

their immigration status. Of course they lied. They're actually arresting anyone who looks Hispanic. People whose only offense is being in the country without documentation are NOT CRIMINALS.

https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/FINAL_criminalizing_undocumented_immigrants_issue_brief_PUBLIC_VERSION.pdf

From the ACLU:

Is the fact of being present in the United States in violation of the immigration laws a
crime?

No. The act of being present in the United States in violation of the immigration laws is not,
standing alone, a crime. While federal immigration law does criminalize some actions that
may be related to undocumented presence in the United States, undocumented presence
alone is not a violation of federal criminal law. Thus, many believe that the term “illegal
alien,” which may suggest a criminal violation, is inaccurate or misleading.

Entering the United States without being inspected and admitted, i.e., illegal entry, is a
misdemeanor or can be a felony, depending on the circumstances. 8 U.S.C. § 1325. But many
undocumented immigrants do not enter the United States illegally. They enter legally but
overstay, work without authorization, drop out of school or violate the conditions of their visas
in some other way. Current estimates are that approximately 45% of undocumented
immigrants did not enter illegally. See Pew Hispanic Center, Modes of Entry for the
Unauthorized Migrant Population [May 22, 2006].

Undocumented presence in the United States is only criminally punishable if it occurs after an
individual was previously formally removed from the United States and then returned without
permission. 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (any individual previously “deported or removed” who “enters,
attempts to enter, or is at any time found in” the United States without authorization may be
punished by imprisonment up to two years). Mere undocumented presence in the United
States alone, however, in the absence of a previous removal order and unauthorized reentry,
is not a crime under federal law.

[MichMan]

37. "Current estimates are that approximately 45% of undocumented immigrants did not enter illegally. "

Not sure is that is still true, as the notation is from 2006, but if so, that means more than half (55%) did enter illegally.

[Wiz Imp]

40. Roughly 62% of undocumented immigrants are estimated to have initially entered the U.S. on valid visas but overstayed

their permitted time.

https://austinimmigrationattorney.com/can-undocumented-immigrants-get-legal-status-in-the-united-states/

As of 2016, approximately two-thirds of illegal adult immigrants had lived in the US for at least a decade

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/06/12/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/

[Traildogbob]

8. What about

Americans? Can we protect ourselves by any means?
My oath to the constitution says I MUST.

[AllaN01Bear]

16. heyh. i was just going to say that and you beat me to it. bravo , eggscllent

[Traildogbob]

21. 🤜🏼🤛🏼

[dlilafae]

9. The little 🍄

Must be stopped. He is Way out of control.

[Timeflyer]

10. Trump's Brownshirts.

[LudwigPastorius]

29. ...and the Trump Party Congress just voted to give them $170 billion of our dollars to...

grow their ranks and purchase more weapons.

[Marthe48]

11. Is there a tariff on law?

It is in short supply and the price to keep it available is getting high.

[Bengus81]

12. Protecting citizens from a guy running a weed eater at Ihop Trump??

Where the FUCK are all those millions of criminals here illegally Trump??

Wait...you LIED? Shocker.....

[bluestarone]

13. Total BULLSHIT, but i see THIS as HIS way to get his

Martial law! That's his plan. No doubt in my mind!

[markie]

14. "...just like they protect the Public"

we are in dangerous times

[DENVERPOPS]

15. Trump is actually

somewhat declaring his own type of Martial Law with that statement?????????

Trump and the Republicans are just galloping forward to having a police state here in America.....

[IronLionZion]

17. When they murder people, he'll pardon them a second time

since there are likely many Jan 6 criminals who joined ICE

[DENVERPOPS]

46. And bringing along all their

Militia Buddies all across the United States.......

[Javaman]

19. and now comes the wholesale killing. nt

[oldmanlynn]

20. California can pass their own laws

They can pass their own laws and then arrest and detain ICE members and put them in jail for violating the law.

Why they dont do that is beyond me.

[Hornedfrog2000]

39. Or as a society we say enough

The man follows none of our laws. Laws are only for Dems apparently.

[AntiFascist]

44. Newsom, are you listening? n/t

[Polybius]

45. Federal still supersedes state laws though

[h2ebits]

22. Next step is to declare martial law. . . .

[Zorro]

23. You know it's coming

Probably sooner than later.

Trump and the Republicans are at war with the American people.

[Bayard]

24. Shoot to kill.....

I'm sure the first case will be coming up soon. trump will call them a fine person and patriot. Remember those law firms that bowed to him? The king decreed they would defend cops accused of anything.

trump has declared war on Calif. They didn't vote for him, and they're not knuckling under. He'd love to arrest Newsom.

[Miles Archer]

25. John Roberts, the "gift that keeps on giving"

"Do whatever you need to do."

And, if they do it, and it's illegal, Kash 'n' Pammie will run interference, and if it DOES reach a court room by the end of 2028, Trump will just issue "preemptive pardons," making ANY "legal exercise" a complete waste of time and money.

[Sneederbunk]

26. Brass knuckles and dirks?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

27. SCROTUS said he can do anything he wants if he decides it's official duty

[DFW]

28. Just who ARE ICE agents, though

Thugs running around with guns but no ID, no warrants, and no presentable authorization for their actions do NOT sound like ICE agents to me. They sound like private outside contractors whose work orders were given orally so that if there any excesses, and I mean like some of them killing innocents, with potential blowback with similar consequences, official denials can be issued.

“We regret the deaths caused by excessive violence on the part of individuals who were NOT agents of the federal government, and thus had no mandate to use deadly force, blah, blah.” No idea who they were, no blame, no guilt assigned, and above all, no accountability.

Trump finally gets to shoot someone dead in broad daylight in Fifth Avenue, and now gets to claim he never even saw who pulled the trigger.

[moonshinegnomie]

30. i live in texas

if a masked ice agent tries to arrest people there is a very good chance they end up getting shot considering everyone here is armed and open/concealed carry doesnt even require a permit.

[BumRushDaShow]

31. Apparently they have raided there

They actually started in your state a week after the inauguration (probably thanks to Abbott)!

[PSPS]

32. He's really salivating over a pretext for martial law.

Maybe they'll enlist another expendable kid to stage an "attack" at one of these protests, like the fake "assassination attempt."

[LT Barclay]

33. Headline should read:

Trump declares war, on the American people

[jmowreader]

34. This will be interpreted as...

“Shoot first and ask questions later.”

I give it until Columbus Day before an ICE agent kills someone.

[BidenRocks]

38. Let's be perfectly clear

The commander in chief just authorized the use of deadly force.

As Bugs Bunny said, "You realize, this means war"!

Lexington and Concord repeats.

Chump doesn't realize the amount of civilian firepower is 5X the size of ALL our military forces.

Do not continue to be an arsonist! America destroys dictators we don't like!

[bluestarone]

41. This bastard really thinks he's a fucking king.

The day his blood stops flowing, will be the BEST DAY for America!!!

[SWBTATTReg]

42. So, what's going to happen now? We're going to have a bunch of new fake ICE agents running around, w/ no IDs, no

warrants, no nothing, going into all sorts of locations, homes, businesses, etc., w/ no restraints, nothing, just yanking people out w/ having no particular reason other than the fact that the person(s) looked weirdly at them or mouthed off at them. The ICE agents, having no restraints what-so-ever, will yank these people out and take them to who knows where, and then, who knows what will happen to them.

Gestapo/ICEstapo? What's next?

[TimeToGo]

43. The authority he thinks he has