While we don’t spend a lot of time discussing immigration policy here, for obvious reasons, it’s important to note that we’ve seen a lot of illegal immigrants–I can’t call them “illegal aliens” because I’m way too into science fiction–are involved in criminal enterprises, including gangs. They’re not all here trying to work for the American Dream, no matter what is being peddled by some.
And Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has been working overtime to round up the legions of illegal immigrants who crossed the border over the last four years. That includes scooping some right off the streets.
While many are upset by this tactic, there’s not actually anything wrong with it.
But one guy offered some advice to illegal immigrants who face this kind of thing. He said to just shoot the ICE agents.
A TikTok user posted a disturbing video on the popular social media website, calling on people to “shoot at ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents on sight.”
“Shoot at ICE agents on sight. That’s right. If ICE agents are trying to take you or a loved one, shoot them on sight,” TikTok user belal_donq said in his video.
The user claimed agents had been showing up in masks, unmarked vehicles, and without their badges, claiming that the agents “could be anybody.”
“The way they’re pulling up with masks on, with unmarked vehicles, no badge, no nothing. It could be anybody. It can be gang members. You have every right to shoot at them,” he continued. “This would be the best self-defense case. You’re just in fear for your life. You don’t know who’s behind that unmarked vehicle or who’s behind that mask.”
Now, there’s been pushback on this advice, including from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. https://t.co/WaJO1iUp2e
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 30, 2025
And let’s understand, self-defense isn’t quite as much of a slam dunk as this dude suggests.
Sure, they may not be decked out in ICE gear, but if they identify themselves as ICE agents in any way, your claim of self-defense evaporates. Yes, they could be lying, but when they’re not, the courts tend to take a dim view of such actions.
Yet let’s say they didn’t. Let’s say that it was universally understood that you didn’t have to take the word of law enforcement officers when they’re not in full uniform or something.
It’s still terrible advice.
For one thing, different states have different standards for self-defense. If they open fire from the jump, for example, they might or might not get away with it. While that might fly in a Stand Your Ground state, a duty to retreat state might prosecute you for the shooting because you made no attempt to retreat.
Not that it will matter, though, because these raids involve multiple ICE agents or other federal law enforcement officers. If their target pulls a gun, they’re going to pull theirs and light the poor sucker up. He won’t have to worry about deportation, of course, but he will be burdening his family with funeral expenses.
And that’s not even getting into the fact that the courts have held that illegal immigrants don’t enjoy Second Amendment protections of their gun rights. So even if they don’t kill anyone or get killed, they’re still looking at prison time before their deportation.
On every level, this guy is offering terrible advice that will, at best, land people in prison if they listen to it. It won’t stop deportations except in the cases where the illegal immigrant is too dead to deport.
Then again, this is also what happens when ignorant people try to offer self-defense advice in general. In this case, it’s about immigration, but I think we’ve all heard of ridiculous self-defense advice not that different, and really, everyone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about should shut the hell up.
Read the full article here
