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A confrontation erupted outside the San Francisco Immigration Court this week, as video shared by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) captured a tense altercation between agents and protesters.
The clash, which took place Tuesday, is the latest in a growing series of confrontations with federal immigration officers.
According to ICE, assaults on immigration agents have surged nearly 700% compared to last year.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents clash with protesters in San Francisco on Tuesday, July 8. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via X)
Footage posted by the agency on X shows masked protesters scuffling with ICE agents wielding batons.
“Get back, get back,” agents are heard repeatedly telling protesters.
“Shame on you, shame on you,” protesters are heard yelling, amid screams.
At one point, demonstrators appeared to attempt access to a black ICE SUV parked outside the courthouse. A protester is seen lunging at officers as they push back, and several individuals climb onto the hood of the vehicle.
“This behavior is NOT protesting,” ICE wrote in a post Thursday. “It’s assaulting federal employees while they’re on duty. It’s impeding federal officers. It’s ILLEGAL. It’s DANGEROUS. And it will NOT stop us from enforcing immigration law.”
Protesters appeared to attempt to gain access to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement black van amid protests in San Francisco. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via X)
Many of the demonstrators were seen wearing keffiyeh scarves, a symbol often associated with pro-Palestinian activism.
The group reportedly sought to prevent ICE from placing a detained migrant into the van, though the individual’s identity and legal status were not disclosed.
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According to local outlet Mission Local, the protest was in response to the detainment of a specific migrant, but further details of the case have not been made public.
An ICE spokesperson told Fox News Digital that rioters “violently attacked and obstructed federal law enforcement officers who were exercising their sworn duties.”
“These violent individuals have zero respect for the rule of law and casually violate it. This type of vile behavior has led to a 700% increase in assaults against ICE officers, and just last week, a coordinated attack at an ICE facility led to an officer being shot,” they said. “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS will not tolerate violence against officers, and those responsible will be held accountable.”
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As the Trump administration continues to ramp up immigration enforcement, individuals against the administration have actively opposed ICE operations, particularly the practice of detaining individuals at immigration courthouses.
Demonstrators have called for an end to ICE agents operating in plainclothes and using unmarked vehicles, practices they argue contribute to fear and lack of accountability.
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The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act, introduced by Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, aims to ban immigration officers from concealing their identities while engaged in enforcement activities.
“For weeks, Americans have watched federal agents with no visible identification detain people off the streets and instill fear in communities across the country,” Booker said of the bill Tuesday. “Reports of individuals impersonating ICE officers have only increased the risk to public and officer safety. The lack of visible identification and uniform standards for immigration enforcement officers has created confusion, stoked fear and undermined public trust in law enforcement.”