#defundcbp

#Activist charged with felony after giving border agent #DuressCode that wiped his phone The government says destroying his own data during an airport interrogation was illegal. Ryan Whitwam – Jul 27, 2026 "In early 2025, Atlanta resident #SamuelTunick was on his way home following a trip abroad. After landing in the US, customs agents demanded access to his Pixel phone, which was running an alternative version of Android called #GrapheneOS. Rather than hand over his data, Tunick used a clever feature of the software to delete everything. Now, he’s facing federal charges. "The first hearing in this case happened last week, according to The Guardian, during which government attorneys and agents claimed that Tunick was subjected to a standard secondary interrogation at an international airport. During that encounter, agents were 'looking for anything that’s prohibited.' However, Tunick’s legal team alleges he was targeted for his #activism. "Tunick was involved with a group called #DefendTheAtlanta Forest, which opposed the construction of an enormous law enforcement training facility in the area often known as #CopCity. What Tunick didn’t know, according to his lawyers, was that he’d been placed on a watch list for his actions and that Customs and Border Protection had discussed over email plans to detain him upon his arrival back in the US for 'suspected terrorism activities.' "During the interrogation, #CBP agents told Tunick they wanted to search his phone for evidence of child sexual abuse, and if he didn’t unlock the device, it would be confiscated. The government has long asserted broad authority to examine and seize electronic devices at the border for virtually any reason. Tunick claims he was never read his rights and requested legal counsel several times, but the requests were denied." Read more: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/activist-charged-with-felony-after-giving-border-agent-duress-code-that-wiped-his-phone/ #Fascism #DefundCBP #DefundICE #HomelandInsecurity #USPol #SilencingDissent #StopCopCity #StopCopCitiesEverywhere #DefendTheForest

#ICE says agent faced danger in #HoustonTX Witnesses say that’s not what happened A fatal ICE encounter in Houston is continues questions about transparency, use of force and accountability By CK Smith, July 11, 2026 "A fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Houston is under growing scrutiny after witnesses challenged the federal government’s account of what happened. "ICE officials said #LorenzoSalgadoAraujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national, was shot after he allegedly used his vehicle as a weapon during an enforcement operation. "But three men who were inside the vehicle with Araujo dispute that account, saying the encounter unfolded differently and that officers were not in the path of the vehicle when shots were fired. "The conflicting accounts have turned the shooting into another test of transparency and accountability surrounding federal immigration enforcement. The witnesses’ attorney has said their statements contradict the government’s description of the encounter, while officials have maintained that the agent acted in response to a threat, despite reports that #Araujo was not the person ICE was searching for. "The case is also drawing attention because the witnesses themselves are now part of the immigration enforcement system. The men who were in the vehicle have disputed the official narrative while facing their own potential immigration consequences, raising questions about how investigations involving undocumented witnesses are conducted and whether those witnesses can safely participate. "The central question now is not simply whether ICE agents had legal authority to use force. It is whether investigators and the public have access to the full picture of what happened." Read more: https://www.salon.com/2026/07/11/ice-says-agent-faced-danger-in-houston-witnesses-say-thats-not-what-happened/ #DefundICE #AbolishICE #USPol #ICESucks #MurderPatrol #DefundCBP #JusticeForLorenzo