Federal authorities have long used intimidation and violence to silence protesters, as evidenced by the recent killings of ICU nurse Alex Pretti and immigrant Renee Nicole Good at the hands of ICE agents. However, a pattern of targeting peaceful protesters with charges of domestic terrorism has only intensified in recent years.
Critics argue that this is part of an ongoing strategy to criminalize dissent, with over 100 prosecutions under Section 111 of Title 18 of the US code filed against protesters in the second half of 2025. The use of this law to charge protesters with resisting federal employees, while ignoring the actions of perpetrators, has been widely criticized as a tactic to silence opposition.
Immigrant activists have long faced hostility and intimidation from federal authorities, but recent events suggest that this is becoming a nationwide phenomenon. In one recent incident in Portland, Maine, an ICE officer threatened to label a citizen a "domestic terrorist" if they did not stop recording him on their phone. This type of behavior has become increasingly common, with reports of ICE officers targeting protesters and activists who try to document their actions.
A war on solidarity is unfolding as white supremacy seeks to control white people and maintain the status quo. Historian Nick Estes argues that the killing of white people by federal agents in Minneapolis is a form of retaliation against those who are defending immigrant neighbors and trying to stand up for social justice.
The Insurrection Act, created to prevent protests, has been used throughout US history to silence dissenting voices. Meanwhile, concerns about government overreach and securitization have grown since 9/11 under the banner of anti-terrorism, leading to widespread surveillance of US citizens and increased targeting of marginalized groups.
Many experts argue that the current situation is a result of a long-standing pattern of using intimidation and violence to silence dissenting voices. As historian Gloria J Browne-Marshall notes, this is "part and parcel" of US history. The recent surge in anti-protest laws and charges has only heightened concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the silencing of marginalized voices.
To resist this trend, many are calling for community-based initiatives, such as mutual aid efforts and social media campaigns, to counter the intimidation tactics used by federal authorities. Others are advocating for the abolition of ICE and an end to securitization policies that allow for widespread surveillance of US citizens.
Ultimately, the goal of these laws and tactics appears to be to silence dissenting voices and maintain the power of those in control. However, as Estes notes, human solidarity is triumphing in the face of this violent moment, with people coming together to resist oppression and demand justice.
Critics argue that this is part of an ongoing strategy to criminalize dissent, with over 100 prosecutions under Section 111 of Title 18 of the US code filed against protesters in the second half of 2025. The use of this law to charge protesters with resisting federal employees, while ignoring the actions of perpetrators, has been widely criticized as a tactic to silence opposition.
Immigrant activists have long faced hostility and intimidation from federal authorities, but recent events suggest that this is becoming a nationwide phenomenon. In one recent incident in Portland, Maine, an ICE officer threatened to label a citizen a "domestic terrorist" if they did not stop recording him on their phone. This type of behavior has become increasingly common, with reports of ICE officers targeting protesters and activists who try to document their actions.
A war on solidarity is unfolding as white supremacy seeks to control white people and maintain the status quo. Historian Nick Estes argues that the killing of white people by federal agents in Minneapolis is a form of retaliation against those who are defending immigrant neighbors and trying to stand up for social justice.
The Insurrection Act, created to prevent protests, has been used throughout US history to silence dissenting voices. Meanwhile, concerns about government overreach and securitization have grown since 9/11 under the banner of anti-terrorism, leading to widespread surveillance of US citizens and increased targeting of marginalized groups.
Many experts argue that the current situation is a result of a long-standing pattern of using intimidation and violence to silence dissenting voices. As historian Gloria J Browne-Marshall notes, this is "part and parcel" of US history. The recent surge in anti-protest laws and charges has only heightened concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the silencing of marginalized voices.
To resist this trend, many are calling for community-based initiatives, such as mutual aid efforts and social media campaigns, to counter the intimidation tactics used by federal authorities. Others are advocating for the abolition of ICE and an end to securitization policies that allow for widespread surveillance of US citizens.
Ultimately, the goal of these laws and tactics appears to be to silence dissenting voices and maintain the power of those in control. However, as Estes notes, human solidarity is triumphing in the face of this violent moment, with people coming together to resist oppression and demand justice.
This is getting outta hand 
The feds are gonna push someone too far... ICE needs to be dissolved ASAP 
Can't let the system silence everyone who's speaking out 
And what's with these "domestic terrorism" charges? 
Are we living in a bad dystopian novel or something? 
the way they're using domestic terrorism laws to crush peaceful protests is just insane 
i mean, come on, 100+ prosecutions under one law? that's not how democracy works, right? 
what's next, charging people for protesting climate change or advocating for affordable healthcare? 
and don't even get me started on the ICE officers who think they can intimidate people into silence with a label 
we need to organize and speak out against these tactics ASAP 
mutual aid efforts and social media campaigns might be our best shot at countering this stuff 
with these laws and then we come together as a community 
like what happened in Portland where an ICE officer threatened to label someone a "domestic terrorist" if they recorded him on their phone 
it's like, what kind of police state are we living in? 
This is just so outdated and overused. And don't even get me started on the ICE officers being a bunch of bullies 
.
. And can we please abolish ICE already? It's time for us to take a stand against these kinds of policies and fight for our civil liberties 
.
we cant just sit back & watch our rights b eroded 
especially when it comes to immigrants, like Renee Nicole Good who was killed by ICE agents... that's just heartbreaking 
anyway, back to this whole protest thing... i feel like we need to get together and start a movement of our own - maybe a monthly meetup where we just hang out and talk about whatever's on our minds? no agenda, no expectations, just conversation and community 
. And I'm all for abolishing ICE and ending securitization policies that are just an excuse for the government to spy on its own citizens.
! Did you know that between 2015-2025, there was a 300% increase in federal arrests under Section 111 of Title 18? That's crazy! 
! And did you know that in 2020 alone, there were over 30 billion data points collected on US citizens through facial recognition tech? Creepy, right? 
.
100+ protesters charged under Section 111? That's some crazy abuse of power 
The US government's use of intimidation & violence against protesters is getting outta hand! 
ICE officers are even threatening to label citizens "domestic terrorists" for recording them 
I'm getting so sick of these federal agents thinking they can just intimidate and silence protesters without any consequences 
. The fact that we've seen cases where ICE officers have been threatening people for recording them is absolutely absurd 
. And can we please, for the love of all things good, abolish ICE already?!