Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Federal officers deploy force against Portland protesters — Following Judge Immergut's ruling blocking the National Guard deployment, federal officers showed force against protesters outside the ICE facility in Portland. Officers pushed protesters hundreds of yards down city streets and fired tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and pepper balls without clear signs of provocation. The deployment was accompanied by videographers with professional equipment and drones, suggesting a coordinated media operation.

Supporting reports

• ICE deploys tear gas, pepper balls, and body slams against protesters and journalists in Broadview, Illinois — ICE agents, alongside Illinois state police and Cook County sheriff's office, deployed tear gas and pepper balls against protesters gathered at an ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois on Friday. Videos show agents body-slamming protesters to the ground. Journalists covering the protests were also attacked—a CBS Chicago reporter was hit with a pepper ball from 50 feet away; a Chicago Sun-Times reporter was tear-gassed; and an Unraveled Press reporter was detained. Legal observers were similarly targeted. The facility, not designed as a detention center, holds nearly 5,000 detainees statewide under "Operation Midway Blitz."
• ICE agents deploy tear gas against protesters in multiple U.S. cities — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents used tear gas and other force against peaceful protesters in Portland, Washington DC, and Chicago during enforcement operations. The article references unspecified brutality by the Administration and an unwarranted raid on a Chicago apartment building, indicating escalating use of force against civilian demonstrators opposing immigration enforcement actions.

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• Trump warns military leaders of "enemy within" and suggests using Democratic cities as training grounds — On September 30, 2025, President Trump addressed hundreds of top military officials and warned darkly about the need to counter "the enemy within," declaring that "America is under invasion from within" and that "Democrats run most of the cities that are in bad shape." Trump suggested the military could be useful in his drive against crime in Democratic cities and could use these cities as military "training grounds," raising concerns about violations of the Posse Comitatus Act.
• Trump addressed military commanders on deploying troops in U.S. cities — President Trump spoke to assembled military commanders at Quantico, framing domestic civil unrest as an "invasion from within" equivalent to foreign military threats. He stated he had signed an executive order establishing a quick reaction force for quelling civil disturbances and indicated that deploying combat troops to major U.S. cities including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles would be "a major part" of military operations. He referenced the constitutional oath to defend against "all enemies foreign and domestic" and characterized inner cities as a "war" requiring military intervention.
• Trump told military leaders to confront "enemy from within" — Speaking to hundreds of senior US military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, President Trump warned of an unspecified "enemy from within," stating "We're under invasion from within, no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways, because they don't wear uniforms." He also suggested that cities like San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles could be used "as training grounds for our military," language echoing authoritarian rhetoric about internal enemies and military deployment against civilian populations.
• Trump deploys National Guard troops to Chicago in October — In October, President Trump deployed National Guard troops to Chicago, continuing the pattern of using military forces for domestic law enforcement and immigration enforcement purposes.

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• Veterans arrested and charged during ICE raid protests under Trump administration — Multiple U.S. military veterans face federal charges and injuries after protesting Trump's deportation campaign and National Guard deployments. The Guardian identified eight instances of veterans prosecuted or seeking damages after detention by federal agents. Notable cases include 70-year-old Air Force veteran Dana Briggs charged with felony assault on a federal officer on 29 September after video showed an ICE agent knock him over; Marine Corps veteran John Cerrone arrested 28 September at a Broadview ICE facility and cited for disorderly conduct; and Afghanistan veteran Bajun Mavalwalla II facing federal conspiracy charges for a 11 June protest blocking migrant transport. Other veterans arrested include Iraq veteran George Retes (wrongful arrest claim), 20-year combat veteran Jay Carey (flag burning charges), and 87-year-old disabled veteran John Spitzberg (military parade protest). A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on riot control weapons in Chicago.

Supporting reports

• DOJ sues pro-Palestinian activists under FACE Act — The Trump administration's Justice Department filed a civil rights lawsuit on September 29, 2025, against pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and six activists, alleging they violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act during a November 2024 protest at a New Jersey synagogue. The lawsuit marks the first federal use of the FACE Act—traditionally used to protect abortion clinics—to protect a place of worship. The DOJ seeks fines exceeding $30,000 for the first violation and $50,000 for each subsequent violation.
• Justice Department files civil complaint under FACE Act against alleged violent protestors at New Jersey synagogue — The Department of Justice, through its Civil Rights Division, filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against entities and individuals alleged to have engaged in threats of force, intimidation, and violent conduct directed at congregants of Congregation Ohr Torah synagogue in West Orange during a November 2024 protest. The complaint alleges the defendants' actions were intended to interfere with the synagogue community's right to freely exercise their religion. The department seeks injunctive relief to prevent future violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act at synagogues throughout New Jersey.

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• Federal officers deploy chemical agents and rubber bullets against protesters at Broadview ICE facility — On Saturday night, 26 September, federal officers including US Border Patrol deployed pepper spray, rubber bullets, and teargas against protesters outside the Broadview ICE detention facility in Illinois. Officers arrested multiple protesters. A CBS Chicago reporter was also targeted with gas deployed into her vehicle while she was documenting the scene, causing her to become ill for hours.

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• New York lawmakers and activists arrested blocking ICE access to federal building — On September 19, 2025, at least 70 demonstrators, including 11 elected officials, were arrested during protests at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in lower Manhattan. Protesters blocked the underground garage used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to transport detainees. Inside the building, elected officials including NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and state senators demanded access to the ICE intake facility on the 10th floor to inspect conditions. Federal and local police arrested 71 people total; the 11 officials were charged with federal misdemeanors for blocking corridors and released pending court appearance.

Supporting reports

• Federal agents deploy teargas and pepper balls against Chicago ICE facility protesters — Federal law enforcement agents used teargas and pepper balls to disperse approximately 100 protesters, including two Democratic congressional candidates, outside an ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois on Friday morning. Demonstrators attempted to block government vehicles from entering the facility during "Operation Midway Blitz," an immigration enforcement surge in Chicago. At least three protesters were arrested; masked agents in riot gear fired pepper balls from rooftops and launched teargas canisters. The Department of Homeland Security later reposted video of the incident on social media.

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• Trump asked Bondi to investigate protesters under RICO statutes — Trump stated that he asked AG Bondi to investigate protesters who disrupted his dinner, requesting that she bring RICO cases against them because "they should be put in jail" and "What they are doing to this country is really subversive."

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• Texas Governor calls for expulsion of student for mocking Kirk's death — On or around 14 September, Devion Canty Jr., a Texas State University student, was filmed imitating Charlie Kirk's death at a memorial. Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for his immediate expulsion on X, writing "Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences." Canty later withdrew from the school. His attorney argued the governor's call violated the Constitution by pressuring a public university to suppress protected speech.

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• Georgia judge dismisses RICO conspiracy charges against 61 Cop City protesters — Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer dismissed RICO conspiracy charges against 61 defendants arrested during protests against Atlanta's police training center ("Cop City") on March 5, 2023. The judge ruled that Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr lacked authority to bring the case after local district attorneys declined prosecution, and that Carr had not obtained required permission from Governor Brian Kemp. The decision eliminates 100 pages of the state's 109-page indictment and exposes prosecutorial misconduct, including violation of attorney-client privilege by lead prosecutor John Fowler. The state announced its intention to appeal.

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• Police dismantle 44-year White House peace vigil on Trump's direct orders — Law enforcement officials dismantled a peace vigil that had stood outside the White House for over 44 years on Sunday, acting on orders Trump issued two days earlier after a journalist's question. The vigil, started in 1981 to promote nuclear disarmament, was believed to be the longest continuous anti-war protest in the U.S. Trump ordered its removal after learning of it, telling staff "Take it down, right now." Volunteers were given 30 minutes to leave; at least one was detained. Vigil stewards indicated they expect legal action.

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• Tom Homan threatened prosecution of protesters — Fox News pushed a false narrative that protesters against National Guard deployments were being paid. Deportation Czar Tom Homan appeared on Fox and claimed that protesters would be "prosecuted too" if they were financed from outside, suggesting that the government would investigate and prosecute protest organizers.
• Tom Homan falsely claimed protesters are paid by unnamed sources — On Fox News, Trump's border czar Tom Homan stated without evidence that those protesting the administration's immigration crackdown are "absolutely" being paid to do so, and threatened that those funding the protests "will be prosecuted too." The claim was made without providing any factual basis or evidence.

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• USTA requested broadcasters censor Trump protests at US Open — The U.S. Tennis Association sent an internal email to US Open broadcasters requesting that they censor any protests or negative crowd reactions to President Trump's attendance at Sunday's men's final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The email stated: "We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance in any capacity." Trump was planning to attend as a "sponsor guest" of Rolex.

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• Arizona Republicans file ethics complaint seeking expulsion of Democratic senator for reposting ICE warning — Arizona Republican state senators, led by Jake Hoffman, filed a formal ethics complaint against Democratic state senator Analise Ortiz for resharing an Instagram post warning of ICE enforcement activity near an elementary school. The complaint seeks her expulsion from the chamber or, alternatively, removal from committees and loss of office and staff. The ethics committee chair referred the complaint to the U.S. attorney's office for potential federal investigation. Ortiz maintains she exercised her First Amendment right to inform constituents of government activity.

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• Thousands protested Trump troop deployment in Washington D.C. and Chicago — Thousands of people participated in the "We Are All D.C." march in Washington, D.C., to protest the presence of troops in the city, and in the "Chicago Says No Trump No Troops" protest in Chicago. The protests were characterized by peaceful demonstrators carrying numerous signs expressing opposition to military deployment in American cities.
• Thousands protested Trump's troop deployment in Washington D.C. and Chicago — Thousands of people participated in the "We Are All D.C." march in Washington, D.C., to protest the presence of troops in the city, and in the "Chicago Says No Trump No Troops" protest in Chicago. The protests were characterized by peaceful demonstrators carrying signs.
• Thousands protested Trump's federal law enforcement takeover of DC — Thousands of people gathered in Washington, DC, to protest the Trump administration's federal law enforcement takeover of the nation's capital. Protesters carried signs reading "Trump must go now," "Free DC," and "Resist Tyranny," demanding an end to the federal intervention in local law enforcement.
• Chicago and DC held major protests against National Guard deployment — Large protests occurred in Chicago and DC against Trump's use of the National Guard in American cities. The DC march drew an enormous crowd. Chicago protesters brought a Trump piñata and took turns beating it with a bat. Fox News pushed a false narrative that the protesters were being paid, with Deportation Czar Tom Homan claiming on air that protesters would be "prosecuted too" if they were financed from outside.

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• ICE agents arrest and injure military veterans at deportation protests — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested or injured at least eight military veterans during protests against Trump's deportation campaign and National Guard deployment plans. Documented cases include 70-year-old Air Force veteran Dana Briggs charged with assault after being knocked over by ICE agents in Chicago; Afghanistan veteran John Cerrone tackled, detained nine hours in solitary confinement, and charged with disorderly conduct; and Afghanistan veteran Daryn Herzberg in Portland, grabbed by hair and face-slammed, hospitalized, seeking $150,000 damages. Democratic lawmakers condemned the incidents as excessive force and violations of constitutional protest rights.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order directing prosecution of flag burning as incitement or fighting words — President Trump signed Executive Order 14341 on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of federal, state, and local criminal laws against flag desecration, framing such acts as potential incitement to violence or fighting words. The order instructs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to deny or revoke immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent (Texas v. Johnson) protecting flag burning as speech but asserts the administration will prosecute flag desecration under content-neutral laws and pursue litigation to clarify First Amendment exceptions.
• Trump ordered DOJ to prosecute flag burning — Trump ordered the Department of Justice to prosecute anyone who burns an American flag, claiming such individuals would automatically face one year in prison. This order contradicts the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson, which established flag burning as protected First Amendment speech.
• Trump announced executive order directing DOJ to prosecute flag burning — Trump held a press event in the Oval Office and announced an executive order instructing the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute instances of flag burning. Trump claimed burning a flag would result in one year in jail and a criminal record. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf clarified that the order directs DOJ to prosecute flag burning only where it constitutes criminal activity (such as burning someone else's property) and does not violate First Amendment protections, since the Supreme Court previously ruled flag burning as political speech is constitutionally protected.
• Trump issues executive order directing prosecution of flag burning — President Trump issued an executive order on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of federal, state, and local laws against flag desecration. The order instructs the DOJ to prosecute flag burning as a crime where it violates content-neutral laws (disorderly conduct, open burning, property destruction) and authorizes the State Department, Attorney General, and DHS to deny or revoke visas, residence permits, and immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent in Texas v. Johnson but asserts authority to prosecute flag burning that incites imminent lawless action or constitutes "fighting words."
• White House signed executive order directing prosecution of flag desecration — The White House signed Executive Order 14341 on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of criminal and civil laws against flag desecration, including violent crimes, hate crimes, and property crimes. The order instructs the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Secretary of Homeland Security to deny or revoke visas, residence permits, and immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent in Texas v. Johnson but asserts authority to prosecute flag burning that incites imminent lawless action or constitutes "fighting words."
• Trump signs flag-burning criminalization order — Trump signed an executive order to criminalize the burning of a US flag, an action the Supreme Court ruled was protected under the First Amendment in 1989. The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to prioritize prosecuting flag desecration cases and allows officials to deny or revoke visas and residence permits for immigrants who burn flags.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order prosecuting flag desecration — The White House published a fact sheet on August 25, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Attorney General to prosecute flag desecration "to the fullest extent permissible" and to "pursue litigation to clarify the scope of First Amendment in this area." The order also directs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security and the Attorney General to deny, prohibit, terminate, or revoke visas, residence permits, naturalization proceedings, and other immigration benefits for foreign nationals determined to have desecrated the flag, or to seek their removal from the United States.
• Trump signs executive order directing prosecution of flag burning as protest — On Monday, August 26, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against individuals who burn American flags during protests. The order directs prosecutors to explore alternative charges such as disturbing the peace or environmental violations. This action attempts to circumvent the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson, which established that flag burning constitutes protected political speech under the First Amendment.
• Trump signed executive order banning flag burning — Trump issued an executive order criminalizing flag burning. The order drew immediate criticism from conservative legal scholars and right-wing media figures who noted that the Supreme Court had settled in Texas v. Johnson that flag burning constitutes protected free speech under the First Amendment. Multiple conservative commentators, including Justice Antonin Scalia's son, cited the constitutional prohibition on such restrictions.
• Trump issued executive order criminalizing flag burning — President Trump issued an executive order directing arrest and prosecution of Americans for burning the American flag, despite a standing Supreme Court ruling protecting flag-burning as free speech under the First Amendment. Although Trump's order acknowledged the SCOTUS ruling, the Secret Service arrested one man who burned a flag near the White House in protest of the order.

Supporting reports

• Illinois governor Pritzker opposed federal takeover threat — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker posted on social media opposing Trump's threatened takeover of Chicago, characterizing it as "an authoritarian power grab of major cities." Pritzker contrasted the administration's priorities with what he stated people actually want, including cheaper groceries and protection of Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
• Chicago Mayor Johnson declared Trump's threat illegal — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Trump's threat to take over the city an illegal abuse of power, rejecting the president's assertion of authority to deploy federal forces to govern a major American city.
• Illinois Governor Pritzker rejected Trump's power grab — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker posted on social media that people are not begging for "an authoritarian power grab of major cities," directly rejecting Trump's threats to deploy federal forces to take over Chicago and other cities. Pritzker contrasted Trump's threats with actual public concerns: cheaper groceries, protection of Medicaid and SNAP, and release of the Epstein files.

Supporting reports

• Arrest of 15 protesters at anti-ICE demonstration outside NYC federal immigration courthouse — Approximately 15 protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct on Friday outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan during a civil disobedience action organized by the grassroots movement 50501. Demonstrators accused ICE of operating a covert detention facility on the building's 10th floor, holding immigrants in overcrowded conditions without adequate amenities or legal access. Protesters demanded unrestricted access for elected officials, journalists, and faith leaders; police moved in within minutes of a sit-in blocking the street. The protest was one of several in New York City that week.

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• ICE director affirms policy allowing agents to wear masks during arrest operations — Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stated on CBS Face the Nation that he will continue permitting ICE officers to wear masks during arrest raids, citing officer safety and doxxing concerns. Legal advocates, state attorneys general, and civil rights groups have challenged the practice as obscuring accountability, enabling impersonation, and contributing to a climate of fear. The policy has coincided with record deportation enforcement under the Trump administration.

Supporting reports

• ICE expanded detention capacity with temporary tent structures despite safety warnings — Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with a tripled annual budget and intensifying pressure to increase deportations, is rapidly expanding detention space using temporary tent-like structures at military bases and adjoining ICE jails. The Trump administration identified limited detention space as a major obstacle to meeting deportation targets and allocated $45 billion for detention through the end of the term to reach 100,000 beds by year-end, up from roughly 40,000 when Trump took office. Internal tensions have emerged as some administration officials and Republican allies warned that detaining immigrants long-term in flimsy structures could prove disastrous, particularly in flood-prone or hurricane-prone locations.

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• Trump authorizes ICE agents to use "whatever means necessary" to protect themselves and arrest protesters — President Trump posted on Truth Social granting "total authorization" to ICE agents to protect themselves during immigration enforcement operations, directing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan to arrest protesters impeding ICE operations. Trump instructed law enforcement to use "whatever means is necessary" against those throwing rocks or bricks. The authorization followed clashes between federal agents and protesters during immigration raids on two California cannabis farms in Ventura County on July 10, where teargas was deployed and approximately 200 suspected undocumented immigrants were arrested.

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• Federal prosecutors charge nine protesters with conspiracy for blocking ICE transport — Federal prosecutors brought conspiracy charges against nine demonstrators who protested Joswar Torres's detention in June 2025, including blocking an ICE transport vehicle. The charges mark an escalation in prosecuting First Amendment protest activity. Richard Barker, a career DOJ prosecutor and acting U.S. attorney for eastern Washington, resigned rather than sign the indictments, citing that protesters were exercising free speech rights and witnessing injustice.
• War veteran faces six-year prison sentence for protest participation — Bajun Mavalwalla, an Afghanistan war veteran, was charged with conspiracy for participating in the June 2025 protest against Torres's detention. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted and has pleaded not guilty, intending to take the case to trial. His prosecution exemplifies the federal government's aggressive pursuit of protest participants.

Supporting reports

• ICE vehicle rammed through protesters outside San Francisco Immigration Court — On the morning of July 8, 2025, an unmarked ICE SUV drove through a crowd of protesters gathered outside San Francisco Immigration Court to prevent the detention of an immigrant. The vehicle struck human bodies, injuring at least one protester. ICE agents in militarized gear, some without identifying badges, deployed pepper spray, batons, and rifles against the crowd. San Francisco Police remained present but did not intervene. The incident occurred amid escalating federal immigration enforcement operations.