It isn’t legal. And they haven’t changed the law. It’s just now their policy to ignore the law.
Right now they’re trying to “shock and awe” everyone into submission and compliance before the law catches up with them.
It isn’t legal. And they haven’t changed the law. It’s just now their policy to ignore the law.
Right now they’re trying to “shock and awe” everyone into submission and compliance before the law catches up with them.
It isn't legal, and the Constitution expliclty forbids this.
Welcome to fascism, did you think for some reason ... words written on paper would... restrain them or matter in anyway?
They are fascists.
Their whole thing is ... truth doesn't exist, language is a weapon, not a means of reaching a mutual understanding.
They only understand one thing, and that is violent force, and the physical and societal logistics that make it possible.
If your game plan for resisting fascists is 'but that's illegal!', you've already lost.
It's an ideology that has proven to resort to violence and genocide rather than admit fault, let alone wrongdoing.
what is the right game plan?
Find local, likeminded people, who are reliable, fair, reasonable, and pragmatic, and most importantly, not dramatic.
Find ways you can help fill in gaps in those other people's lives, in a mutally beneficial way, not a purely competetive/social status jockeying kind of way, and ways they can help you with yours.
Literally nothing else is more fundamental or more important than that.
We have to rebuild or I guess at this point rediscover what an actual community is.
No other possible 'plan' is going to work without that.
it is very much unconstitutional and definitely illegal. but you would need a functioning congress and a supreme court to rule on it or whatever
Legal Answer
The Fourth Amendment specifically says the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated" without a warrant showing probable cause and due process. It is settled law in the court system that this means a judicially-reviewed and -signed warrant is required to enter a home.
Basically, the Trump administration issued a May 12, 2025 DHS memo (signed by Todd Lyons) saying that no, the "warrant" and "due process" clause is satisfied if the DHS issues its own warrant.
This obviously violates the constitution because then judicial branch is meant to check the executive branch via review of executive action. DHS signing their own warrants means they are acting with inherent biased towards their own personnel, so there is no meaningful due process. It's literally the law enforcement arm also being the judge.
A more detailed legal answer to your question is here: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/can-ice-enter-a-home-to-make-an-arrest-with-only-an-administrative-warrant , and it also links to the whistleblower complaint, which itself has the DHS May 12, 2025 memo as Exhibit 1 (page 17 of the file).
The DHS memo doesn't appear to cite any actual case law (except a footnote that references a Central District of California case that "judicial" warrants are required in that jurisdiction, tellingly), but the link above notes the law is so clear that, to find an explanation, it theorizes that they are relying on dicta (non-binding, non-precedential discussion) in a court opinion from a 1960 case, that suggests (but again, doesn't legally bind) administrative warrants could be considered. That dicta doesn't hold they are valid, and has been contradicted by the Supreme Court multiple times since 1960.
Practical Answer
In short, the Trump administration likely knows this is a completely unconstitutional position. However, they also know it takes time for court challenges to force them to take any action (violate the constitution->victims possibly find counsel->file papers->trial court delays->trial->multiple appeals->Supreme Court).
Therefore, they are openly violating the law. We can't prove their goals, but it seems obvious that Trump and his chief advisor, Stephen Miller are looking for an excuse to declare martial law. By illegally killing, kidnapping and abusing American citizens and residents, they assume the backlash will give them an excuse.
If it doesn't, they will continue and assume that they will either be saved by the extremely right-leaning Supreme Court, or if not, will still have normalized a US gestapo acting with impunity for enough time to scare into silence any meaningful criticism, stop elections, or will simply "comply" with the decision two+ years from now continuing the process with minor changes to the policy that remain unconstitutional but restart the court process.
That's a well-written explanation, thank you, and it's the Trump administration's game plan on everything.
Pick a policy, any policy, from DOGE to tariffs to blocking funding on a whim, whatever — it's illegal, unconstitutional, or both, but that doesn't matter. If a court blocks them, it'll take months and they'll appeal.
Meanwhile the daily damage is done, and it's permanent. If/when Democrats are again in charge, being Democrats, they'll tinker with the mechanisms a little and pose for smiling pictures, but we'll never see US AID again, and ICE's ginormous budgets will be the norm, etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_search_exception
We have ceded civil liberties when within 100 miles of a boarder, this happened decades ago and most politicians were ok with it because it didn't make the news.. just a quiet tool in the toolbox....
Well, the tool is now being used

Don't airports count as borders as well?
technically, no, but airport security workers of all flavors can refer individuals to ICE if they deem it necessary
I thought that it was specifically international airports. I heard they were doing ICE raids in the town outside of Pittsburgh International Airport (Robinson, PA). I haven't seen any ICE personally in PGH but I've hear coworkers and friends talk about it.
True but this current development is even worse, as you may see that Minneapolis isn't in that zone.
Issue is, this isn't boarder patrol, this is immigration control. But international airports count as the 100 miles radius as well. And things like inland ports. So this map is incorrect on enforcement for this as well.
From my understanding no the border rule stops at customs.
Yes and we have customs at international airports we also have customs at inland ports we have customs at anywhere that rail receives and rail yards distribute.
Yes but the 100 mile rule does not apply to air ports. The exception stops at the point of entry and domestic flights are exempt from the border exceptions because people do not go through customs.
§ 287.1 Definitions. (a)
(1) External boundary. The term external boundary, as used in section 287(a)(3) of the Act, means the land boundaries and the territorial sea of the United States extending 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States determined in accordance with international law.
(2) Reasonable distance. The term reasonable distance, as used in section 287(a) (3) of the Act, means within 100 air miles from any external boundary of the United States or any shorter distance which may be fixed by the chief patrol agent for CBP, or the special agent in charge for ICE, or, so far as the power to board and search aircraft is concerned any distance fixed pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section.
You can tell them to piss off but they can beat and/or kill you and get away with it so words arent really gonna have much stopping power in this case.
We live in a society where might = right. If you have the firepower or other means to stop them from entering your private space then you have the right to do so.
You don't really have the right to shoot anybody. (Depends on the state) But then you'd be accused of shooting a federal officer. Do you realy want that?
Most gun owners would prefer this to being whisked away to a mystery camp, yes.
The thing is, as a straight white middle-aged natural born citizen, there's only one reason for the feds to ever kick in my door, and if that happens my life as a free man is over anyway. You fucking bet I'm taking as many of them with me as possible.
There is an Instagram trend (I'm told, I don't browse) of people showing off the #nastiestangle
Spots in their homes or apartments they can get clean shots off at the door while remaining virtually invisible or well protected.
Please, for the love of god, do not post anything even remotely related to this on social media tied to you publicly. Your name, email, phone number, address, etc. will all be collected and recorded for when someone drops the charade and goes after dissidents.
When they come for your guns they will absolutely have a response to this. They know many people would rather die. They will kill you no matter what, but now what if they punish your family? What if they seize all of your assets and those of your nearest family? What if they financially ruin your loved ones after you die? Are you going to protect your weapons at the risk of hurting those you love? I'll bet most don't. What if they threaten to arrest your parents and send them to a labor camp?
When "they" are no longer subject to being voted out of office there is no longer any reason not to use maximum force to compel compliance for anything. They are showing us what they will do to those they deem to have no constitutional rights. Next anyone who protests will be labeled a terrorist and arrested. Anyone who fails to comply will be a terrorist. Anyone who is registered Democrat will be classified as an enemy of the state.
You will be bent into submission because you have weaknesses that they do not. Rattle your cage all you want. Dictators ALWAYS disarm the population.
Coward logic
Well then, guess you should just keep your head down and submit. All this "2nd amendment" and "don't tread on me" talk was nothing but bluster. Maybe someone else will come invade the US to introduce democracy for you.
You're still not getting it. This is a US government coup. They're not following laws or the Constitution because they arent the US government. It's the fucking Confederacy again.
Depends on your alternatives I suppose. If your options are: "Go to a concentration camp without a name in some other country" or "get prosecuted for shooting the guy who was going to send you there and maybe end up in regular prison" or "die trying", then maybe its not so clear.
Yes i would absolutely prefer to die on my feet then live on my knees.
Most states, even ones with a duty to retreat, will still allow for using lethal force against home invaders, and even if not good luck finding a jury to convict someone on that kind of an incident.
The mere threat of returned violence seems to work in dissuading the ICE agents from trying anything. Hence them making themselves scarce a few days ago when they saw a gentleman open carrying a semi-automatic (though unloaded) rifle.
Carrying it unloaded is stupid. They won't wait to see if you have ammo before lighting you up if it came to it. Why leave yourself actually defenseless and yet a far more obvious target?
No one is going to sympathise with your obituary. "Well he looked like a deadly threat, which cops have been legally allowed to murder for decades, but he wasn't actually a threat!"
"Fucking moron" would be the common reaction.
While ICE agents are pathetic cowards, pathetic cowards have murdered many, many people throughout history. Especially ones that look like a valid threat.
He's not doing whatever he can to not get murdered. He's doing whatever he can to expose ICE's hypocrisy and prove that they are the lawless murderers.
By not loading his weapon he has made it clear that there is no circumstance in which he would take another's life. Not even to defend his own.
Is he putting himself at grave risk? Yes. Absolutely.
Is there a way to accomplish the same thing without risk? No.
That man is a definitional hero.
Meh, a hero needs to be inarguably good at their intended goal. Anyone who doesn't already agree with him is going to call him a dumbass, and rightfully so.
Do not appear to be a threat while not actually being a threat. Period. It's almost as bad as being in danger while having zero defense.
You wouldn't celebrate someone taking a walk in the woods with an empty bear mace can. This guy is doing the same thing: Going in to danger against wild animals with no actual defense.
Bears are not monsters, and there are much better ways of mitigating their threat. ICE and Donald cannot be mitigated. They must be met with overwhelming force. If you don't have the option of overwhelming force, resort to subterfuge (if you are a hero).
This is a question of what happens during an attack. Not who is more likely to attack. For a bear, bear mace is an excellent choice. For ICE, if you already have a fucking gun, it being loaded is a first fucking step to that gun being useful at all.
is a first fucking step to that gun being useful at all.
Except you are not talking about the use he had in mind for the gun. There can be more than one use for a thing. As an example, here's a very useful car:
Except that sign isn't sitting on a road. Walking around an area where bullets might fly with an empty gun is equivalent to sitting on the road with a car out of gas.
I don't care if you are holding a sign that says, "I should've gone electric!" while you're sitting there with your car out of gas... If you did it on purpose, that is stupid.
Again: Useless.
If you see me out packing protecting my neighborhood, know that my rifle is NOT unloaded, that 40-round mag is full and ready to unleash hell, and I've got 4 more of them ready to go.
Point of order, you will be accused posthumously of shooting a federal officer. You will not survive the exchange.
That's not always true. Cops are notoriously bad shots and these ice agents are no better.
Just remember that most walls in modern american homes are made of nothing much stronger than plywood. In any situation you should return fire from good cover to try and avoid becoming a body.
Do you want to risk it when you're a father and want your kids to grow up with a dad? Or do you want to risk a stray bullet hitting a neighbor? Or do you want to just get arrested and probably released at some point with a really good case against the government that didn't uphold the constitution?
I mean, you can weigh the pros and the cons yourself.
Nobody wants that, but unless you’re a bootlicker, you’re not going to let thugs barge into your home. I know I won’t, but I’m also going to do everything in my power to not let them in to begin with. Shooting intruders is the last resort. They’re no different than home invaders in my eyes.
I vaguely remember a story of a housecleaner getting shot for going to the wrong address and the shooter not even being charged because "I was scared" is a valid reason for killing someone ringing your doorbell in some states (sorry don't remember the source). That sounds like a right to shoot anybody.
Laws only work if there is a penalty for breaking them. Example: it is against the law not to release the Epstien files ... but what is the penalty for breaking that law? Nothing was written in. The same for ICE, no one is checking them and they are staying out of Castle Law states.
You guys haven't really had rights for a while, by the sounds of it.
Black people been saying. everyone else just refuses to listen
(except for native americans, they been saying it the longest, they just don't have the presence of messaging because they've been pushed so far into the margins)
Yeah I'm Aussie, and as soon as I learned about the Philly police firebombing a black neighbourhood, I knew you guys were supremely fucked.
And yeah Native Americans called it. I've learned that how a government and society treats a minority, is how they can eventually treat everyone. Or put another way, any rights you think you have over the member of society with the least rights is illusory.
Naw but we got Mountain Dew buckets, cheeseburgers, and AR-15s in high school! Wooohooo!!! Thank Jesus I'm not a pinko Commie!!!
The rule of law has ceased to exist in the US. It has been replaced by the rule of power.
You either get used to no longer have rights, or you can start to get them back.
Yup.
Those of us with functional brains kept telling everyone else without that it can and will happen here. They didn't think so.
Now it's happening here.
It's a slow boil, so people will keep denying. But hey, women don't have the same rights they had a few years ago. Now due process is gone. What's next?
Now to be precise those women's rights were taken away legally as they were not codified anywhere in a lasting manner.
“Instead, the disclosure claims that the memo was rolled out in a secretive manner in which some agents were verbally briefed while others were allowed to view it but not keep a copy,” Blumenthal said. “It was reportedly clear that anyone who openly spoke out against this new directive would be fired.”
Seems like they know it's not
Laws only work one way now.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s illegal. If you don’t have rule of law, which is the reality that MAGA has us living in, then all that matters is if you can get away with it. If you can’t or won’t be held to account, then there is no law
The law only exists so far as it is enforced. Who will enforce the law against the state? Political power grows out the barrel of a gun.
It says ICE agents are allowed to forcibly enter a person’s home using an administrative warrant if a judge has issued a “final order of removal.” Administrative warrants permit officers and agents to make arrests and are different from judicial warrants, which judges or magistrates sign allowing entry into homes.
It’s basically a new legal theory (like the bush torture memos you can just make them up) and they’re claiming the preexisting administrative warrant is good enough
The article says it's also not a search warrant, which backs up their claim saying they can enter because they aren't searching.
Which is stupid.
But if it's not a search warrant, and they start doing this, I wonder if there's some way to protect yourself by requiring finding you in the house to constitute a search?
Like what if you attached a bookshelf to your bedroom door. And you had to move a book to access the handle?
That's a search?
Maybe that's a way to try to continue legally protecting yourself within their illegal entry? Or something like that anyway.
They're already ignoring law. Stop looking for loopholes and start looking for safe shooting positions.
Pretty sure a 'hidden' room is a good spot to shoot from if that's the decision you're going to make.
It will make it more obvious they are about to enter it somehow.
edit: Also boobytraps would probably be effective at that point as well.
Just remember, an annoyed invader that has no external challenge can just set your house on fire and smoke you out, boobytraps or no.
You think ICE is going to go as far as lighting houses on fire to get someone to exit?
Problem with that idea is that they don't actually care about any of the technicalities one way or the other, they just tossed out a somewhat plausible sounding "justification" to have something to point to. Their idiots will believe the justification regardless, and everyone else's time can be wasted arguing about it.
I mean ya, if they're coming into the house they're going to come and get ya administrative warrant or not (edit: because we all know they'll come in even without that), and if you can't get a lawyer to prevent yourself from being deported before they deport you, none of this does any good.
But if you can manage to get as far as they entered, and had to search to find you, and they didn't just deport you anyway before being able to get in front of a court, it would make a difference in theory.
The main question is how legal would it be to shoot at masked armed gang breaking into your home to kidnap you and your family without any judicial warrant.
Because that is exactly what the 2nd amendment is for
"Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6"
I mean FFS, at this point ICE might kill you just for fun.
Immigration proceedings aren't before a full court with a jury. It's an administrative proceeding. So, there isn't even the 12.
The world champions of mass shootings and gun hoarding in case of a corrupt government: whatever can we do? Is this legal?
If someone was in the process of actively murdering me, I would think it safe to assume they are aware that murder is illegal. If I tell them it's illegal, they're probably more likely to double down and make sure I'm dead so that I can't be a witness.
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