“Offensive Driving”: ICE’s Deadly Weaponization of Vehicles Against Civilians
The Intercept reviewed more than two dozen incidents of ICE using its army of unmarked cars to attack immigrants and American activists alike. The post “Offensive Driving”: ICE’s Deadly Weaponization of Vehicles Against Civilians appeared first on The Intercept .
ICE agents have weaponized their vehicles against civilians in several instances, as revealed by a grand jury indictment in Harris County, Texas. The charge of assault with a deadly weapon, involving a government vehicle, highlights a broader pattern of aggression from the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants. In one incident, Miguel Parra Hernandez, a Mexican national, was struck by an unmarked government vehicle after turning into a parking lot.
Surveillance footage showed him running away from the car before being hit. The Department of Homeland Security claimed Parra Hernandez ran into the vehicle, but his attorney denied any wrongdoing. In Long Beach, California, Ricardo Gonzalez, believed to be a U.S. citizen, was struck by an unmarked ICE vehicle speeding the wrong way down a one-way street.
The government stated Gonzalez was not struck, but video footage contradicted this claim. Another incident occurred in Woodland, California, where Antonio Moreida, a civilian documenting an unmarked ICE vehicle, was hit by a speeding SUV and left on the ground without assistance. ICE has employed "offensive driving techniques," such as ramming cars of targets, brake-checking volunteers, and even driving into civilians.
These tactics, collectively referred to as "offensive driving techniques," are part of a pattern of excessive force by federal agents, who are shielded from accountability. The Department of Homeland Security has acknowledged instituting additional training, including crowd control measures and live-fire courses for officer safety, in response to these incidents.
However, allegations persist regarding the specific cases of Parra Hernandez, Gonzalez, and Moreida.
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