Exactly one year ago, as the nation’s attention was fixed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, a less visible but no less significant story was unfolding in Spokane, Washington. Former city council chair Ben Stuckart urged residents to prevent ICE from detaining two Venezuelan migrants who were in the U.S. legally but had outstanding arrest warrants. Hundreds responded, and more than 30 were arrested at the June 11, 2025, protest.
Federal prosecutors’ choice of Spokane, in Eastern Washington, was strategic: in this conservative, rural region with stronger Republican and Trump support, jurors are less likely to sympathize with protesters opposing ICE. That made it possible to take a harder line in court and set a precedent for discouraging protests, while avoiding politically fraught liberal Seattle, where Democrats dominate.
The next day the U.S. Department of Justice sent a directive to 93 U.S. attorneys: prioritize prosecuting participants in protests against immigration enforcement. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington Richard Barker resigned, saying he did not believe the charges were justified. The Spokane protest became a key test for the Trump administration’s effort to suppress civil disobedience.
Most arrests were dropped, but nine people were federally charged. Six, including Stuckart, took plea deals and pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Three — Bajun Mavallalla II, Justice Forral, and Jack Archer — refused, insisting their First Amendment rights (freedom of speech and assembly) had been violated. On May 28, a jury found them guilty of conspiracy against the United States.
If the convictions stand, the activists face up to six years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The defense has already filed a motion to set aside the verdict and is preparing an appeal. Experts warn the case creates a dangerous precedent: the administration may more aggressively use conspiracy charges to pressure those exercising their constitutional right to protest.
Liz Moore, executive director of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane (PJALS), a key coordinator of progressive activists in the region that defends immigrant rights, fights racial profiling, and organizes community forums on peace and nuclear disarmament, worked closely with one of the convicted defendants — Jack Archer. She called the verdict “devastating”: “The full force of the government has descended on three community activists.” Moore reminded that violence and repression have long coexisted in U.S. history — and praised the courage of those who stood against injustice despite the risk.
David Owens, a law professor at the University of Washington, whose Seattle law faculty is actively involved in regional debates — publishing expert opinions on protest and immigration cases, running immigrant-defense clinics, and whose alumni hold key positions in the courts — pointed to the political undertones: the same people who protest ICE are being prosecuted to the fullest extent, while those involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack received pardons. “It’s clear the federal government is targeting people for their political beliefs and their refusal to silently accept wrongdoing,” he emphasized.
Owens noted that such repressive tactics make many hesitate to speak out or take to the streets. “If you’re wondering whether to go to a rally or post something for fear of retaliation — your rights are already being infringed,” he said. At the same time, he reminded readers that after mass actions in cities around the country, federal agents ultimately withdrew — collective action works.
Despite the threats, people across America continue to raise their voices. “It takes real courage to stand up to an authoritarian Department of Justice and to call out ICE abuses. It’s striking to see thousands refuse to be intimidated in the face of injustice,” Moore concluded. Activists are convinced: silence is not an option, and resistance is the only way to protect their rights.
Based on: As ICE protesters like ‘Spokane 3’ are targeted, many still stand up