Politicians and commentators across the political spectrum have decried what they see as a breakdown of “law and order” in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, where protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have, at times, boiled over into property destruction, looting and clashes with police.
We must take a hard look at how lawlessness by those sworn to uphold the law has helped set the stage for disorder.
I’m a retired police lieutenant who spent over 20 years on the force, and I understand the instinct to denounce unlawful behavior, especially when it puts officers in danger. But if we truly care about upholding “law and order” — and not just using the term for cheap political attacks — we must apply those values consistently and take a hard look at how lawlessness by those sworn to uphold the law has helped set the stage for the disorder now being condemned.
Let’s be clear: Looting, vandalism and violence against police are wrong and can’t be justified. Still, the unrest we’re seeing didn’t appear out of thin air. These protests began as a genuine response to ICE’s increasingly aggressive deportation tactics, which have created a growing perception that law enforcement no longer sees itself as bound by the law.
In a troubling trend away from transparency and toward para-militarization, ICE agents have carried out a string of arrests that more closely resemble kidnappings: plainclothes officers with covered faces refusing to identify themselves, sweeping up individuals who have not committed serious crimes — or any crimes at all. Some of those detained have included legal immigrants, tourists, and even other law enforcement personnel. Officers have used deception and outright lies to target children, mothers, respected community members and others far removed from the category of “dangerous criminals” that ICE once claimed to be pursuing.
Instead of responding to mounting public criticism — including many comparisons to the secret police of authoritarian regimes — ICE has doubled down by promising to target cities in blue states with enhanced deportations. The message is clear: The law doesn’t apply to us, and we don’t answer to you.
That message was made even more stark last week, when ICE officers forcibly removed Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., from a news conference as he attempted to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about agency practices. Padilla was thrown to the ground and handcuffed. Some have applauded his treatment, claiming no one is above the law. But that logic is backward: challenging lawlessness the way Padilla did is not a violation of the law. In fact, an elected representative demanding answers from a government official is the essence of public accountability in a democracy.
Tuesday, federal agents detained New York City Comptroller Brad Lander at a federal immigration courthouse in Manhattan. The Department of Homeland Security later said Lander, a candidate in next week’s Democratic primary for mayor of New York, was arrested for “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.”
This is where our current crisis lies. When those in authority, including law enforcement, are given impunity to act with cruelty or disregard for constitutional norms, it corrodes the moral legitimacy of these institutions as a whole. In the case of recent demonstrations, why should protesters trust or respect police officers who show no respect for them — or for the law itself?








