Olga Fedorova/AP

A key event in the erosion of American democracy has been President Trump’s aggressive use of federal authorities to target political rivals. This campaign of repression has expanded beyond promises, involving high-profile arrests of Democratic officials and law enforcement critics. One troubling aspect has been the crackdown on opponents of Trump’s immigration policies, leading to several notable detentions and prosecutions. Here’s a brief overview:

The FBI detained Hannah Dugan for allegedly obstructing agents during an immigration operation. Dugan is accused of helping a detainee escape after ICE agents appeared in her courtroom. She maintains her innocence, calling her arrest “unprecedented” and “unconstitutional.”

Meanwhile, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was
detained during a protest at an immigration detention facility. The trespassing charges against him were later dropped, and he filed a lawsuit against the US Attorney’s Office. Baraka spoke about his arrest:

The authorities seemed eager to arrest me—they didn’t need to try. My rights and the Constitution were violated in this process.

In a related case, Democratic Congresswoman Kristi Noem was charged with impeding law enforcement during a congressional visit. The charges could result in a lengthy prison sentence, though explanations for her arrest have shifted over time.

In another incident, California Senator Alex Padilla was detained after confronting Homeland Security Secretary Noem. Videos show Padilla complying with identification requests before being forcibly removed and cuffed. No charges were filed against him.

Recently, Brad Lander, NYC’s comptroller and mayoral candidate, was detained during an immigration court escort. Lander challenged agents about a warrant, and the DHS accused him of assault—photos suggest otherwise.