As a pastor, today’s shooting of an American citizen feels like a completely predictable result of the next three thoughts:
1. The militarization of American policing. We don’t have to recount that history again. But it’s been happening for a generation now.
2. Unaccountable bands of ICE and Border Patrol agents, roaming the streets of America as an escalation of this unjust militarization of American law enforcement.
3. Overworked ICE and Border Patrol agents, working side-by-side with some in their ranks who are known White Supremacists, to carry out dangerous Trump Administration orders.
As a pastor/volunteer at the Dallas ICE Field Office (where we hold weekly vigil and assist migrants coming for appointments) we have noted the staff there becoming increasingly more harsh, and less engaging with us.
Further we volunteers who stand for justice at the Dallas ICE Field Office, have witnessed an increasing number of what seems to be less well trained agents coming on the scene here in here. We believe we are observing ICE violate its own policies for training new agents, and perhaps even for hiring them.
The point is that today happens….from years prior….from last year prior…from the last several months prior….and none of it should surprise you.
Therefore, America, I will repeat what I’ve said to you all during 2025:
None of this is keeping American’s safe.
None of this does anything but sow fear, hatred, and division into the hearts of Americans.
None of this, the data shows, even fulfills the alleged goals of Donald Trump….harmful in their face of course.
All of this —yes, the shooting today, but also the raids, the detentions and the deportations, the ankle monitors, the raids on apartment buildings— drives wedges into the heart of American neighborhoods.
I'm not posting a picture from today. I'm reposting a picture I posted back in July (sent to me by a church member) when armed agents were wandering down a neighborhood street.... less than a half mile from our church.
My point is this: What happened today could happen on any American street.
Again: it is the presence of these agents that is the problem. Roaming bands of overworked, undertrained, highly-stressed, and in some cases White Supremacist agents (some, not all)….carrying guns and shooting civilians at point blank range…this is a VERY BAD IDEA.
But, today feels totally predictable.
The blood of this shooting is squarely on the hands of Trump Administration.
Full stop.
I will tell you this. I personally know local Dallas law enforcement who deeply disapprove of what ICE agents are doing….the raids, the arrests off the streets, the detentions of the Dallas Field Office.
Additionally, we have personally experienced ICE staff say, “We are just following our orders.”
Yes.
Yes you are.
And this is what your orders get our country.
The gunning down of civilians.
Your “orders” get us blood in American streets, directly tied to those orders.
All while ICE itself still has failed to acknowledge or reprimand known White Supremacists among the ICE Staff.
(I’m speaking specifically of a known White Supremacist lawyer who appears to still be on the ICE Staff…but who, I am sure, is not alone in this beliefs…)
We know this: Those who work for ICE, DHS, and the Administrative state, are not all of “one mind” about the orders they are following.
We know…they are not all overt White Supremacists.
But again, my point today is this THOSE ORDERS YOU ARE FOLLOWING…from the Trump Administration, they get us to THIS POINT today.
I condemned the violence of the shooting at ICE Headquarters, and therefore I will today also condemn the violence of this ICE agent, gunning down a citizen in cold blood.
As a pastor, I would also remind us that this victim is a human with grieving family and friends….just the migrants who died at the Dallas Field Office at the hands of a terrorist were. Please hold a space for the grief of their family and friends.
Domestic law enforcement —local, state, and Federal— must recommit to deescalation tactics. That is their job.
That is the accountability we must demand of them.
Violence, I say say over and over as a pastor, is still THE problem.
But THIS specific violence…this was perpetuated by an unaccountable American police force.
And this violence is PREDICTABLE, based on the poor leadership and “orders” of the Trump Administration.
The buck stops at the White House desk.
America: it’s time for you to rise up and condemn all of this.
Dear trolls:
The applicable US code is below. Law enforcement is a hard job with specific rules of engagement…those rules were not followed today.
See especially the last sentence.
“From Title 1, U.S. DOJ Policy on Use of Force:
“Firearms may not be discharged solely to disable moving vehicles. Specifically, firearms may not be discharged at a moving vehicle unless: (1) a person in the vehicle is threatening the officer or another person with deadly force by means other than the vehicle; or (2) the vehicle is operated in a manner that threatens to cause death or serious physical injury … and no other objectively reasonable means of defense appear to exist, which includes moving out of the path of the vehicle.”
Eric Fokerth