Congress Must Fix the ICE (Federal) Accountability Loophole

 We’re watching ICE and Border Patrol terrorize neighborhoods in plain view, but the real crisis is older: for generations, federal task forces and cross-deputized local cops have used a loophole to ignore state protections and escape civil liability for even blatant rights violations. This isn’t an “other people” problem or a president problem. Congress can close the loophole and protect us—and future generations—if we demand it. 

 Every year, American police kill an estimated 10,000 dogs—that’s 25 to 30 family pets shot to death every day. Despite this staggering number, there is no national database, no consistent reporting, and almost never any consequences. In the vast majority of U.S. states, officers receive no training at all in how to handle dogs humanely.

This isn’t an accident—it’s the predictable result of a policing system built on fear, domination, and impunity. From slave patrols to modern-day militarized police forces, officers are taught to view every encounter as a threat and to protect themselves above all else. In that environment, every person and every pet becomes a potential enemy.

Law enforcement’s culture of violence, reinforced by psychopathic personality traits rewarded within the profession, has created the perfect storm for cruelty. Our best friends are paying the price.

We demand accountability:

• Mandatory dog-encounter training for all law enforcement.
   
• Public reporting of all police shootings, including those involving animals.
   
• Legal consequences for officers who kill without justification.
   

Police are public servants. They serve us—and we have the right to know when, how, and why they kill our companions.

 By overturning Chevron, the Court has effectively handed the power of interpretation to itself — and by extension, to the wealthy interests that increasingly shape it.
Without Chevron, the same justices now free to accept undisclosed luxury gifts also claim the right to decide how environmental protections, workplace safety rules, and public health regulations should be applied — despite having no expertise in these fields.

In October 2024, 71-year-old Lich Vu, a Vietnamese-American man with limited English proficiency, was slammed to the ground by Oklahoma City Police Sergeant Joseph Gibson during what should have been a routine traffic exchange. The body-camera footage shows that Mr. Vu, confused and trying to communicate, lightly tapped Gibson’s vest — and in response, Gibson violently swept him off his feet, driving his head into the pavement. Mr. Vu suffered catastrophic injuries: a brain bleed, broken neck, and facial fractures that left him hospitalized for nearly a year until his death in October 2025.

Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna charged Gibson with aggravated assault and battery, recognizing the force used was unjustified. But before the case could proceed, Attorney General Gentner Drummond intervened — seizing the prosecution and dismissing the charges entirely. His justification? That Gibson’s actions were “within his training.” This directly contradicted Oklahoma City Police Department’s own finding that the use of force was “not reasonable.”

Drummond, who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, instead chose to shield an officer accused of brutality to curry favor with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and bolster his gubernatorial ambitions. His actions robbed the Vu family of justice and sent a chilling message to every Oklahoman: in Gentner Drummond’s Oklahoma, justice is political — and it’s not for everyone.