this post was submitted on 04 May 2025
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Summary courtesy of CantStopPoppin:


On February 1, 2025, a disturbing campaign of surveillance began targeting a Spokane family. According to firsthand accounts, ICE agents started shadowing the family nearly two months before the dramatic incident. In a calculated move, one of the agents even pretended to hit the family’s parked car. This staged accident was designed to give them a pretext to detain the husband on the spot while investigators “looked him up” as part of their covert operation.

Then, on April 30, 2025, the situation escalated dramatically. ICE agents arrived at the Diaz home without a warrant and refused to properly identify themselves. In the ensuing chaos, Martin R. Diaz—a devoted business owner, long-time U.S. resident of over 33 years with no connection to any gangs—was brutally tackled and restrained right outside his home. Witnesses report that this aggressive intervention was the culmination of a meticulously planned operation that had been in motion for weeks.

After the violent confrontation, Diaz was swiftly transported to a high-security facility in Northern Idaho, a detention center known for hosting individuals with links to extremist groups, including members of the Proud Boys. The combination of prolonged stalking, deceptive tactics, and forceful detention has raised significant questions about ICE's methods and the apparent disregard for due process.

A TikTok video capturing parts of these unsettling events has gained widespread attention for showing the shocking tactics employed by the agents. You can view the TikTok coverage here.

For a detailed report and further analysis of this case, including interviews with community members and legal experts, please read the in-depth coverage by KREM here.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kendall.diaz6/video/7499238185369734430

This incident has ignited fierce debate among civil rights advocates, community leaders, and legal experts, as many call for a thorough investigation into ICE's practices. As the community seeks answers and accountability, this case serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences when law enforcement agencies overstep established legal boundaries.


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[–] Hideakikarate@sh.itjust.works 47 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

This pisses me off. I live in Spokane and didn't hear about this. I don't have cable TV and don't watch much news, however.

I couldn't follow the tiktok link since I refuse to download the app, so I found another link to the story here.

The sad thing is, Washington may be a VERY blue state, but Spokane and the east side is fairly red, aligning more with Idaho. Not to say that everyone here is a MAGA loving inbred, but it's more than you expect from the only state that went more blue this election. Until these atrocities start to happen to these people, I fear little change will occur.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

This isn't perfectly representative of the entire WA political situatiin, but here's WA State House of Representatives by Party:

collapsed inline media

Here's another way of looking at it, the Partisan Voting Index, by County:

collapsed inline media

WA is only a very blue state because the mass of people live between Bellingham and Olympia.

Get 50 miles away from the Salish Sea and basically, everyone is a Republican.

Spokane is a very weird oddball of... basically being a swing city/county, within WA the state.

It is also surrounded by MAGA loving inbreds, and is extremely close to Idaho, which is basically just Gilead at this point.

Indeed, there is still an ongoing Republican plan to try and break off the eastern counties of Oregon and Washington, and merge them into 'Greater Idaho'.

https://greateridaho.org/

They used to be more public about Phase 2, incorperating eastern WA as well.

... And now that Trump is dictator, the chances of this happening are... a whole hell of a lot more plausible than if he'd lost.

[–] DandomRude@lemmy.world 31 points 2 months ago

Even apart from the terrible inhumanity and disregard for the law of these Gestapo people: They watched a business owner and taxpayer for two months and then put him in a high security prison? How incredibly expensive that is!

Human tragedies and absurd costs to US citizens just so MAGA crooks can profit through stakes in private prison companies and the like. It's really unbelievable how criminal the MAGA administration is.

[–] peregrin5@lemm.ee 25 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Fuck this is happening in WA? I legit will fight in a Civil War if it means Cascadia and California can secede.

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 19 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I hate to break it to you, but there is nowhere this is not happening. Keep your eyes peeled and your guard up.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Yeah, we got hit in Boston too. We have a good track record of treating undocumented aliens like people, but ice came through and violated constitutional rights, due process, and interfered with local law enforcement

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

my hometown had a bunch of Ukrainian students get deported and their cadet corps' morale insignia removed from the ROTC training grounds like they'd never even been there

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago
[–] SARGE@startrek.website 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Non-uniformed chucklefucks claiming to be law enforcement while acting like gang members and thugs, getting ready to break into a house?

Sounds like a good time for armed resistance to arrest the clearly illegal kidnapping or robbery. If they are armed and make any move toward weapons, there is only one response. Defend your life, and defend the victims, with all the force necessary to do so.

I actually think ICE WANTS this to happen so they can justify being even harsher or just straight up executing people in the street. It's not like law enforcement hasn't executed someone in front of dozens of witnesses while being recorded...

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.ee 11 points 2 months ago

Progressives need to drop the whole anti gun thing. The social contract has been broken, the state will not protect us. The only people who have means to protect themselves nowadays are right wing chuds who don't have to obey the law and fascist law enforcement who are immune from it.

If one of these kidnapping teams rightfully gets a couple of their agents blown away because they aren't following the law and announcing themselves as law enforcement, maybe they'll think again before kidnapping families off the street.