Unmasked ICE officers speak out against being 'villainized' for enforcing immigration laws
"It has been very sad to see how we're villainized, the names used towards us," officer Kristian Moreno told "My View" host Lara Trump this weekend.
"Just doing this [interview] right now, I had to talk to my family about it and say, 'Hey, this is something that I believe in, something I think is important for us to get our stories out there and let the American public know we're humans.' We got a job to do. We're just enforcing the law. We're not making up the law, and it's sad, but we just keep pushing through it," he added.
Moreno works out of the field office in Baltimore, Maryland. He initially served in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) before going to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in San Ysidro, California.
He and officers Edgardo Centeno and Chris Sandoval shared their inside-looking-out perspectives on the violence ICE officers risk daily, as the Department of Homeland Security indicates assaults against ICE agents have surged 830% since President Trump's second term began in January.
Centeno boasts the longest service record of Trump's three guests. Despite serving across four administrations, he has "never seen" anything like the hatred ICE faces today.
"I think the dynamics and environment that we're working in is sad. What we've seen in California, Los Angeles, New York, it is, in my opinion, unacceptable," he shared.
"We have to do our job. We raised our hands to defend the Constitution, and we're enforcing the law, so we're adjusting as we see what's going on in our country, but it's saddening my heart, especially when you serve in combat and come back and see your country so divided."
Centeno, who was born in New York and grew up in Puerto Rico, holds a background of military and law enforcement service. His eagerness to continue serving in a capacity to help his community and the nation compelled him to join ICE.
While not mentioning any specific lawmakers, he blasted those he said have allegedly "encouraged" members of the public to go after ICE officers while stressing that his agency does targeted operations instead of going after families and individuals.
"I believe in the First Amendment, and you can express yourself all you want, but when you are enforcing, as a Congress member… [people] to go after us, then you're crossing that line," he said.
"We should not be afraid of doing our jobs. I raised my hand to defend the Constitution, and I'll die for it. That's who I am, and I know my partners are the same here."
Some Democrats have drawn ire from Republicans after introducing a bill that would require federal immigration law enforcement officers to not wear face masks and have legible IDs while on the job.
Many argue the measure could jeopardize officers and their families by exposing their identities.
The DHS has also accused some Democrats and media outlets of inspiring violence against ICE officers with their "lies and fake stories."
Sandoval, who is based out of Houston, shared that some officers are being videoed or photographed, and the content is posted online so they can be put "on blast."
"It's kind of unfair to where… we're doing our job, we're serving the country, but sometimes I see people writing and stuff, and you're hurting your own community," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The president vows to slash medication cost to an unachievable degree.
President Donald Trump has promised to reduce American drug prices by mathematically impossible figures of up to '1400 percent.' Speaking during a White House event attended by Republican members of Congress and his Cabinet, Trump said he would tackle the long-running issue of high medication costs in the U.S. But Trump did not set any achievable targets for that aim, instead outlining a range of percentages which would yield negative prices, meaning drug companies would have to pay people to take their medications.
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
4 North Korean agents infiltrated Atlanta man's business as remote workers, gaining his trust — then stole $1M
It sounds like the plot of an action-thriller, but for one Atlanta tech entrepreneur, an elaborate cryptocurrency theft involving North Korean assets became his reality. 'It felt like I was in a movie,' Marlon Williams told Channel 2 News (WSB-TV). 'That's where we see these things, right?' Rather than a phishing scam with criminals pretending to be a bank or government agency and requiring payment in cryptocurrency to 'solve' an 'urgent' issue, this was a long con orchestrated over two years. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Williams thought he had hired remote IT workers for his Atlanta-based blockchain research and development company, Starter Labs. Instead, the 'workers' were North Korean nationals using stolen identities, according to the FBI. After gaining his trust, they were able to infiltrate the business, eventually making off with just over $1 million in cryptocurrency. The unfolding of a long con Four men — Kim Kwang Jin, Kang Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju and Chang Nam Il — have been indicted on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, according to a now unsealed federal criminal indictment. This is part of a larger investigation by the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into North Korea's so-called remote IT worker program in which skilled North Korean agents infiltrate American companies using a mix of stolen and fake identities. Using the stolen identities of at least 80 Americans, North Korean agents have been able to find remote work at more than 100 American companies and then steal and launder virtual currency, according to the DOJ. This money is used to generate revenue for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including its weapons program. Williams was one of those targets. He hired one of the men — who reached out through the Telegram app via a fake identity — to work on a project. Williams was impressed with his work, telling Channel 2 News he was 'super-duper talented.' So Williams hired him for more projects, eventually promoting him to the role of chief technology officer and allowing him to hire additional staff. The con took place over about two years during which time he gained Williams' trust. 'He had the power to create malicious code that he installed and that allowed him to withdraw the funds completely,' Williams said. 'The threat posed by DPRK operatives is both real and immediate. Thousands of North Korean cyber operatives have been trained and deployed by the regime to blend into the global digital workforce and systematically target U.S. companies,' U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah B. Foley said in a statement. The investigation into North Korean criminal activity has so far resulted in an arrest, two indictments, searches of 29 'laptop farms' across 16 states and 'the seizure of 29 financial accounts used to launder illicit funds and 21 fraudulent websites,' according to the DOJ. The four North Koreans are now wanted by the FBI, but they're not in the U.S. They were allegedly working out of the United Arab Emirates with North Korean travel documents. As for their victims? It's incredibly difficult to recover virtual currency and there's usually no insurance for lost or stolen cryptocurrencies. Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. How to protect yourself from crypto risks When it comes to cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, industry regulations are still being developed. Since crypto doesn't require an intermediary (like a bank), it can also be used by criminals to hide their activities. While we could see the passage of the GENIUS Act in the second half of 2025 — designed to regulate the digital currency industry — some critics say it will make the financial system less stable. As an asset class, it's considered to be volatile since its value is often based on market sentiment. For investors, that means it can offer big rewards, but it can also result in big losses. Many financial advisors consider it a 'discretionary' investment — meaning don't invest what you can't afford to lose. Cryptocurrencies aren't like stocks — or even cold, hard cash, for that matter. The money in your bank account is regulated and insured, but there's no enforceable regulations or insurance for lost or stolen cryptocurrencies. 'Cryptocurrency held in accounts is not insured by a government like U.S. dollars deposited into an FDIC insured bank account. If something happens to your account or cryptocurrency funds — for example, the company that provides storage for your wallet goes out of business or is hacked — the government has no obligation to step in and help get your money back,' warns the Federal Trade Commission. For individuals, staying safe means keeping your wallet keys private. Ignore cold calls about crypto investment opportunities and any 'too good to be true' offers. If you're experiencing high-pressure tactics, keep in mind that fraudsters often use a sense of urgency as part of their scam. For businesses, FBI Atlanta suggests using additional layers of scrutiny in the hiring process for remote IT workers. Specifically, the FBI recommends using identity-verification processes 'during interviewing, onboarding and throughout the employment of any remote worker,' as well as cross-checking HR systems for other applicants with the same resume content. In addition, 'complete as much of the hiring and onboarding process as possible in person.' That's something Williams is considering. 'Going back to the fundamentals of business, meeting you face-to-face and looking in your eye, shaking your hand, that really matters," he told Channel 2 News, "even in these new industries that are developing." If you suspect you're the victim of a similar scam, report the activity to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of 'massive unemployment' in the US due to the 'biggest change' in history — and says this 1 group of 'smart' Americans will get hit extra hard. Are you one of them? How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump announces trade deal with Japan
US President Donald Trump has announced a trade framework with Japan, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation. 'This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs – There has never been anything like it,' Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the United States 'will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan'. The president said Japan would invest 'at my direction' 550 billion dollars into the US and would 'open' its economy to American cars and rice. The 15% tax on imported Japanese goods is a meaningful drop from the 25% rate that Mr Trump, in a recent letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said would be levied starting on August 1. Early Wednesday, Mr Ishiba acknowledged the new trade agreement, saying it would benefit both sides and help them work together. With the announcement, Mr Trump is seeking to tout his ability as a dealmaker — even as his tariffs, when initially announced in early April led to a market panic and fears of slower growth that for the moment appear to have subsided. Key details remained unclear from his post, such as whether Japanese-built cars would face a higher 25% tariff that Mr Trump imposed on the sector. But the framework fits a growing pattern for Mr Trump, who is eager to portray the tariffs as a win for the US. His administration says the revenues will help reduce the budget deficit and more factories will relocate to America to avoid the import taxes and cause trade imbalances to disappear. The wave of tariffs continues to be a source of uncertainty about whether it could lead to higher prices for consumers and businesses if companies simply pass along the costs. The problem was seen sharply on Tuesday after General Motors reported a 35% drop in its net income during the second quarter as it warned that tariffs would hit its business in the months ahead, causing its stock to tumble. As the August 1 deadline for the tariff rates in his letters to world leaders is approaching, Mr Trump also announced a trade framework with the Philippines that would impose a tariff of 19% on its goods, while American-made products would face no import taxes. The president also reaffirmed his 19% tariffs on Indonesia. The US ran a 69.4 billion dollar trade imbalance on goods with Japan last year, according to the Census Bureau. America had a trade imbalance of 17.9 billion dollars with Indonesia and an imbalance of 4.9 billion dollars with the Philippines. Both nations are less affluent than the US and an imbalance means America imports more from those countries than it exports to them. The president is set to impose the broad tariffs listed in his recent letters to other world leaders on August 1, raising questions of whether there will be any breakthrough in talks with the European Union. At a Tuesday dinner, Mr Trump said the EU would be in Washington on Wednesday for trade talks. 'We have Europe coming in tomorrow, the next day,' Mr Trump told guests. The president earlier this month sent a letter threatening the 27 member states in the EU with 30% taxes on their goods to be imposed starting on August 1.
