Federal prosecutors are struggling to bring charges against protesters who have clashed with immigration enforcement agents, a trend that has seen cases fall apart in courts nationwide. In recent weeks, two high-profile cases in Los Angeles federal court were dismissed, one due to the prosecution's failure to provide evidence and the other because a judge ruled that ICE officials had violated the civil rights of a protester.
The two cases involve Bobby Nuñez, a tow-truck driver who was charged with stealing government property after he hooked an ICE vehicle, and Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a TikToker who was facing assault and property damage charges after a confrontation with ICE agents. In both cases, the prosecution's case relied heavily on the word of Border Patrol agents, which raised concerns about credibility.
Critics argue that the Trump administration's push to crack down on immigration enforcement has led to a culture of distrust between law enforcement officials and the public. "These arrests are a form of retaliation by the government," said Matthew Borden, an attorney representing protesters and journalists in a lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The trend of failed federal charges comes as the Trump administration struggles to control the narrative surrounding its unpopular immigration crackdown. In high-profile confrontations between protesters and federal agents, officials have called defendants "domestic terrorists" while seeking lesser charges.
Former federal prosecutor Christopher Parente warned that the run-and-gun tactics by federal authorities could have long-term consequences for law enforcement credibility. "They're creating a culture of distrust," he said. "This could have a generational impact on the credibility of law enforcement."
The Intercept's editor-in-chief, Ben Messig, wrote in an article last month that the situation is "a full-on authoritarian takeover" of the US government, with court orders being ignored and media outlets cowed by Trump's attacks.
As the Trump administration continues to push its hardline immigration policies, critics are warning about the dangers of unchecked executive power and the erosion of democratic norms. The Intercept has long been a vocal critic of Trump's efforts to undermine the free press and chip away at civil liberties.
The two cases involve Bobby Nuñez, a tow-truck driver who was charged with stealing government property after he hooked an ICE vehicle, and Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a TikToker who was facing assault and property damage charges after a confrontation with ICE agents. In both cases, the prosecution's case relied heavily on the word of Border Patrol agents, which raised concerns about credibility.
Critics argue that the Trump administration's push to crack down on immigration enforcement has led to a culture of distrust between law enforcement officials and the public. "These arrests are a form of retaliation by the government," said Matthew Borden, an attorney representing protesters and journalists in a lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The trend of failed federal charges comes as the Trump administration struggles to control the narrative surrounding its unpopular immigration crackdown. In high-profile confrontations between protesters and federal agents, officials have called defendants "domestic terrorists" while seeking lesser charges.
Former federal prosecutor Christopher Parente warned that the run-and-gun tactics by federal authorities could have long-term consequences for law enforcement credibility. "They're creating a culture of distrust," he said. "This could have a generational impact on the credibility of law enforcement."
The Intercept's editor-in-chief, Ben Messig, wrote in an article last month that the situation is "a full-on authoritarian takeover" of the US government, with court orders being ignored and media outlets cowed by Trump's attacks.
As the Trump administration continues to push its hardline immigration policies, critics are warning about the dangers of unchecked executive power and the erosion of democratic norms. The Intercept has long been a vocal critic of Trump's efforts to undermine the free press and chip away at civil liberties.
! The fact that these prosecutors can't even get convictions against protesters who are just exercising their right to free speech is wild 
. It's like they're trying to silence dissenters or something 
. And the way they're framing it as a "culture of distrust" is just code for "we're gonna crack down on anyone who disagrees with us" 
. I mean, come on, if you can't even trust your own law enforcement officials, how are we supposed to know what's real and what's not? 
It's like something out of a dystopian movie, where the government just gets to do whatever it wants without anyone holding them accountable 
. And don't even get me started on the media outlets being cowed by Trump's attacks... that's just unacceptable 
. Someone needs to speak truth to power and call out this authoritarian takeover for what it is 
.
But in this case, it seems like the prosecutors are struggling to bring charges against protesters, which is kind of ironic. It's like they're saying "we need you to be tough" but at the same time, they can't even nail down a case without evidence. It's a pretty big problem when people start questioning the credibility of law enforcement officials. We need to find a way to balance security with justice and make sure that everyone is treated fairly. 
. If law enforcement can't even trust their own testimony in court, what's the point? It's like they're setting up themselves for failure 
. And don't even get me started on this "domestic terrorists" crap - it's just a way to silence dissenting voices and chill free speech 
. We need to be holding our leaders accountable, not trying to tear each other down 
.
. If the prosecution can't even bring charges against people who are peacefully protesting, what does that say about our democracy? It feels like the government is trying to silence anyone who speaks out against their policies and it's just not okay 
. We need to make sure our law enforcement officials are working with the public, not against them. The fact that they're calling protesters "domestic terrorists" is a clear red flag 
. This whole thing is about control and power, not about justice or fairness. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and protect our civil liberties 
it's just so wild how the prosecution can't even get cases against protesters right, I mean what's going on here? 
that's just gonna cause more problems down the line 
. I'm all for cracking down on crime, but not when it's at the expense of civil liberties 
. this whole thing is like a bad soap opera - you can't look away from the trainwreck 
.
ICE is playing with fire, trying to silence protesters with "domestic terrorist" labels 
Case law is getting in their way, and it's only a matter of time before they get held accountable 
And those harsh sentences they're dishing out? It's like, not exactly inspiring a sense of community or unity, you know? 
. Can't we just try to understand where each other's coming from? 
? As someone who values transparency and accountability, I'm worried that this trend will continue unless something changes... but so far, not a peep from the federal gov 
.
.
. And let's be real, who do we trust more? The border patrol agents or the people they're supposed to be helping and protecting? 
. Otherwise, we risk losing ourselves in a culture of fear and mistrust 
meanwhile, I'm also kinda concerned about the whole "domestic terrorist" thing... is that even a real label or are they just trying to demonize ppl? 
. It's not surprising that critics are warning about the dangers of unchecked executive power and erosion of democratic norms - we've seen it before, especially with this admin... 
. And don't even get me started on this whole authoritarian takeover vibe 
.
. Protesters got every right 2 express themselves & stand up against injustice 
.
I'm really worried about what's going on with these cases and how they're affecting people's trust in law enforcement 