Paul CantrellFeb 5

See, this — •this• — is what ICE+CBP are actually for under this regime. •This• is why they got a budget the size of Russia’s entire military.

It’s nothing to do with immigration. It’s about the would-be dictator having his own private military that:

- can be deployed domestically
- at will
- unbeholden to the UCMJ etc
- or disciplined military culture
- or any accountability whatsoever
- with unpredictably violent behavior
- applied indiscriminately
- to anyone
- so that the entire population is terrified of it

…because for them, the problem with Jan 6 was that the coup wasn’t violent enough and didn’t have enough weapons.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/04/steve-bannon-ice-immigration-agents-polling-sites-midterm-elections

Steve Bannon calls for immigration agents at polling sites during midterms

Ex-Trump adviser adds to elections officials’ concern about potential interference from Trump administration in voting

The Guardian
Show threadEleanor Saitta
@inthehands
And, to be clear, who have a face rec system for quickly identifying people and a copy of all national voting rolls so they know how people are registered. While also trying to make sure so there's no way to vote except in person so no one can dodge the goons, and if they can, no early voting and fewer polling sites, so all they have to do is pull folks off the street and hold them for a few hours somewhere and then release them without charges after the polls close.
Feb 5 at 7:35amWeb