Recent conversations on social media have repeated the baseless narrative that people who took part in the January 6 attack on the Capitol are working as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. While it’s certainly possible that some who took part in the insurrection are ICE agents, the truth is, there’s no evidence to suggest they are on a large scale, as is often suggested.
Realistically, ICE doesn’t really need them because it already harbors them. I’ve covered this previously, highlighting how and why members of far-right militias and hate groups willingly walk through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) doors. It may be unspoken, but it’s not a secret why they do: to primarily harm Black and Latino communities.
Why DHS Attracts Members of Hate Groups and Extremists
Violent footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking noncitizens and citizens into custody, some for nothing more than expressing their displeasure with what’s happening, has become common in 2025. Car windows are smashed for appearing Latino
Additionally, as DHS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and ICE tried to remain ambiguous about the issue when it first came up months ago because the confusion and fear benefited them, I pushed them hard enough to finally get an answer one way or another. They had to admit they had not hired any J6ers or Proud Boys under President Donald Trump.
You can take that with a grain of salt if you like, but getting them on the record denying that they hired J6ers is crucial in holding them to account. They can no longer remain ambiguous and have helped shut down a narrative that was doing real harm by creating unnecessary fear in already tense environments.
Here’s that story:
Is ICE Deputizing Civilians?
Let’s face it. What the Trump administration is currently doing to live up to the lies it told about Latino immigrants on the campaign trail is inhumane and largely illegal, as we have seen in case after case in cour…
Here’s the story of CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott lobbying generals to participate in immigration enforcement operations.
DHS Pushes the Pentagon to Join In Its Lawlessness
For years, we’ve heard legacy media and conservatives use militaristic language when discussing immigration. Language like “invasion” and “illegal immigrants,” while never defining what defines an “illegal” human, criminalizes immigrants and entire groups of people. Today, we’re seeing the culmination of that rhetoric as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses its broad and overreaching powers to target Black and Latino communities in various cities.
Here’s a bonus story on the extent of DHS’s powers and how no one is safe from them.
No One Is Safe From DHS
Since the Homeland Security Act was passed on the heels of the Patriot Act, the portions of the Constitution that protect civil liberties are weaker than ever. With the advent of broad data collection, law enforcement agencies can now obtain information about you without seeking a warrant. These powers impact all civilians in the U.S., and in many cases, abroad as well.
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I’m an independent investigative journalist who enjoys digging deeper into the stories you see on the news. Find my work at Unicorn Riot, The Antagonist Magazine, Latino Rebels, and more. I’m also on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and Threads. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber or making a donation via Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App.
