pdx_pali_boost @lataconews : ice remotely disabled community watchers engine at Red light "Earlier this morning in Santa Ana, ICE agents were in the neighborhood of Birch St and Andrew Pl. According to a resident, her neighbors had seen the ICE agents in the area since approximately 6:00 a.m. Neighbors and Santa Ana residents showed up to alert the community, as well as legally observe the incident. In video surfacing online, an ICE agent is seen frantically pepper spraying the area around him to deter residents from stepping in, although no one was near him. The agents eventually left the area, but community watchers soon followed. L.A. TACO spoke with one of the community watchers who followed the agents, and states that they remotely shut off their vehicle. According to the legal observer, “I was following them from a safe distance. We all got caught at a red light, I thought they were going to keep going, so I was going to turn left, but they stopped and blocked me from turning.” The legal observer and ICE vehicles were now at a red light on the corner of Main St and Edinger Ave around 8:10 a.m. “The expedition pulled up in front of me, like if he was going to stop and get out, but he didn’t. I was putting my car in reverse, and it wouldn’t go in reverse. That’s when I realized they killed the engine. Once the light turned green they took off, and I was stuck.” According to the legal observer, it wasn’t the first time they’ve been stopped by ICE while legally observing and had their engine shut off. Law enforcement is allowed to utilize remote ignition disablers, often facilitated by telematics services like OnStar or aftermarket GPS tracking systems, to safely stop stolen or fleeing vehicles. They typically require court authorization, mainly used in cases of stolen vehicles to aid in recovery and minimize danger to the public. SUPPORT OUR WORK LATACO.COM " View all 53 comments