The bystanders, two women, who questioned the ICE agents and stood between them and their target outside the general district court Tuesday also wore face masks. ICE says the pair will face federal obstruction charges.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to prosecute those individuals,” ICE said.
Brian McGinn, the spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, had nothing to add.
“We cannot confirm or deny the existence of an ongoing investigation,” he told The Daily Progress.
The two women appear to be volunteers with the Immigration Rapid Response Hotline, a public service promoted by several civil rights and immigrant support groups. A witness to the Tuesday raid told The Daily Progress that the hotline had been called when the ICE agents were spotted.
Look folks, you gotta be careful. You have these things called Names and Addresses and if someone gets your Name and Address they can make your life hell. They can egg your house, light fireworks outside your home in the middle of the night, have your utilities turned off, prank phone call you at all hours, vandalize your vehicles, vandalize your home, I’ve even heard of people being swatted. And if they get a hold of your social security number? Fuuuck. Open up accounts in your name, rack up all sorts of debt, the possibilities are endless. It is very easy to ruin anyone’s life with just a few bits of information and a willingness to get your hands dirty.
You gotta be careful.