The March 14 directive, signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, uses an obscure 18th-century law — the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — to give law enforcement nationwide the power to bypass basic constitutional protections.

According to the memo, agents can break into a home if getting a warrant is “impracticable,” and they don’t need a judge’s approval. Instead, immigration officers can sign their own administrative warrants. The bar for action is low — a “reasonable belief” that someone might be part of a Venezuelan gang is enough.

  • Lushed_Lungfish
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    3 days ago

    For some reason, I keep thinking that people used to booby trap their doors to discourage these types of activities. I vaguely think this was an IRA thing?

    Not sure if it actually happened or it was just something from a movie, but I’m curious what would happen after a few ICE raids were turned into meat sauce by door mounted claymores.

    • WhatSay@slrpnk.net
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      3 days ago

      The reason it’s illegal, is to protect firefighters and paramedics in case they need to enter a home.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      But if you put that energy into better securing your door, you’d have a much cheaper solution that doesn’t hurt firefighters (they may not be able to save your ass but that’s your choice) and make it much more difficult, time consuming, and noisy to get in.

      One of those vertical bars into the floor ought to do it

    • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I have a snake by my door. She’s a completely harmless sweetheart, but nothing makes people think twice like answering the door while holding a snake.