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Imposters pose as Immigration Officials and get caught, arrested, charged [1]

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Date: 2025-02-05

Individuals are taking advantage of the disarray; allegedly posing as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in order to harrass, terrorize, or even sexually assault victims.

The police really don’t like impersonators. This aligns well with the interests of the victims of police impersonators. Tip of the hat to the police in these cases.

Sean-Michael Johnson, 33 or 34, of Huger, SC.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The Huger man who was charged in connection with a confrontation involving a driver last week now faces an additional charge, Sullivan’s Island Police say. Sean-Michael Emmrich Johnson, 33, now faces two additional counts of kidnapping in the Wednesday incident, Police Chief Glenn Meadows said. Johnson was charged on Friday with one count of felony kidnapping and misdemeanor charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer, larceny and assault and battery in the third degree. www.live5news.com/…

Aidan Steigelmann, 22, in Philadelphia, PA

PHILADELPHIA (TNND) — Temple University police and the Philadelphia Police Department on Saturday arrested a student accused of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Officers told The National News Desk (TNND) Aidan Steigelmann, 22, allegedly wore a shirt near campus with the words “ICE” and “police” on it. He was accompanied by two other similarly dressed individuals who also identified themselves as ICE agents, according to police. The Philadelphia Police Department said officers responded to a campus residence hall after receiving reports of “suspicious males identifying themselves as Police/ICE agents.” They later encountered the group again at a nearby Insomnia Cookies location and arrested Steigelmann as the other two escaped, the department said. komonews.com/...

Carl Thomas Bennett, 37, in Raleigh, NC

Man accused of impersonating ICE officer, sexually assaulting woman at Raleigh motel An arrest warrant said 37-year-old Carl Bennett Jr. committed the crimes on Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Motel 6 on Appliance Court. The warrant said that Bennett “unlawfully” entered the motel and threatened to deport the woman if she did not have sex with him. Bennett allegedly told the woman he was a sworn law-enforcement officer and showed her a business card with a badge on it. www.wbtv.com/...

CNN coverage

The founder and president of the Charleston Hispanic Association told CNN that harassment of his constituents based on their ethnicity is commonplace. “We hear of Hispanics being targeted quite a bit. It’s an everyday thing,” Enrique Grace told CNN. “I don’t think this is an isolated case, it was just caught on video. It’s pretty sad to see that.” and Maribel Hernández Rivera, director of policy and government affairs, border and immigration at the American Civil Liberties Union. “It’s important for immigrant communities to feel safe, to be able to approach law enforcement and report anything that’s happening and when people do not feel safe, not only does it make people who are immigrants less safe, but it makes all of us less safe,” Hernández Rivera said. www.cnn.com/...

Council on Islamic Relations comments

CAIR welcomes charges against Sean Johnson, reiterates support for state hate crime law WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCIV) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement Monday welcoming charges against Sean Michael-Emmrich Johnson in the wake of a video going viral Friday allegedly showing the Huger man impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and harassing Hispanic men. "We welcome the charges in this disturbing incident and thank law enforcement for apprehending the suspect,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We stand in solidarity with the Hispanic community and all those targeted by violent hate and bigotry. South Carolina should pass a hate crime law that would help deter such allegedly bias-motivated incidents.” abcnews4.com/...

South Carolina is one of two states without a hate crime law. State Rep Wendell Gilliard is working to take South Carolina off that list.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/5/2301744/-Imposters-pose-as-Immigration-Officials-and-get-caught-arrested-charged?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

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