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Saturday, May 16, 2026

Exclusive: DHS made social media posts out of a protester's arrest at gunpoint. Christian Cerna speaks out about the lengthy prosecution that derailed his life

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Christian Cerna, 28, was driving with his partner and their two young children through Los Angeles, when two vehicles rammed his car and a group of men jumped out and trained their guns on them.

It was 11 June 2025, and as Cerna exited his vehicle with his hands raised, he realized the masked men weren't street criminals as he initially feared. They were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Cerna, a carpenter, is a US citizen and southern California native.

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"The agents, court records show, were also filming high-quality footage of the arrest operation, which they would later post to social media.

The tactics, a federal judge later said, were part of ICE's "vindictive effort" to "impose extrajudicial punishment".

"It was like they were trying to make a movie," Cerna said in a recent interview, speaking publicly for the first time about his arrest.

"They were like the bullies in high school taking photos to humiliate me ... and to prove a point " to say, if you say anything against what we're doing, there will be consequences."

;;

Examples are necessary to intimidate protestors into submission.

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-05-16 02:43 PM | Reply

The next non-Republican POTUS and Congress must dismantle DHS and ICE immediately, starting with Executive Orders on 20 Jan 2029, followed by Congressional legislation.

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-05-16 04:55 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#2 !00% spot-on target, Coriolanus.

The "next non-Republican POTUS and Congress" would be a Democratic POTUS and a Democratic Congress.

That's my Eye on the Prize I keep repeating.

I am supporting each and every candidate running on the Democratic ticket, from the local mosquito control board to US Congress.

Yeah, VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO, because in 2026, that's the only way to achieve, as YOU put it ...

The next non-Republican POTUS and Congress must dismantle DHS and ICE immediately, starting with Executive Orders on 20 Jan 2029, followed by Congressional legislation.
That's my message for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

#3 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 06:35 PM | Reply

#3

Yellow Dogs Rule!

("Both Siders Drool!")

I'm going to go with there's no way that most Americans feel like even a flawed Dem candidate, Harris or anyone else, from whatever perspective one views 'flawed'... could possibly have been worse for America's People, Economy, or Security than IS the Criminal, Rapist, Fraud, and Traitor that is Donald Adolph Drumpf.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2026-05-16 08:21 PM | Reply

ICE is out of control, or has been.

However, we don't need criminals being out of control, either.

ICE exists for a legitimate reason.

I would never support the idea of eliminating ICE, just reforming its tactics and objectives.

#5 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 08:48 PM | Reply

" ICE is out of control, or has been. However, we don't need criminals being out of control, either."

Where were you when Trump promised to go after the worst of the worst?

Instead, ICE has been grabbing janitors, day-laborers, and abuelas.

When will they start arresting gang members?

#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 09:04 PM | Reply

Dan,

"When will they start arresting gang members?"

I didn't know they haven't been.

Are you claiming ICE has only been arresting janitors and grandmothers?

#7 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:12 PM | Reply

Dan,

"Where were you when Trump promised to go after the worst of the worst?"

I thought that was what was going on in the beginning.

Did Trump say "only"?

#8 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:16 PM | Reply

"I didn't know they haven't been."

That's because you frequent "news" outlets who believe you can't handle the truth.

For example, did you know that ICE gets a bonus if they arrest somebody, even if it's falsely?

#9 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 09:18 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#6 So, he meant the best of the best after the worst of the worst on day one ("at the beginning")?

Is that your rationalization today, bj boi?

#10 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:20 PM | Reply

Dan,

I heard about the bonuses.

Didn't I already agree ICE is in need of reform.

#11 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:21 PM | Reply

#11 Mighty white of you, bj boi.

#12 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:22 PM | Reply

Fiend,

"#11 Mighty white of you, bj boi."

Isn't that literally considered racist?

Who still says that?

#13 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:29 PM | Reply

" Didn't I already agree ICE is in need of reform."

No need to clutch pearls; we all know you're going to vote to further enable them in November.

#14 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 09:30 PM | Reply

Dan,

"No need to clutch pearls; we all know you're going to vote to further enable them in November."

I might even convince someone here to vote with me, too.

#15 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:33 PM | Reply

#13

mighty white of you

Used to describe someone who thinks they've done a great deed, charitable action or sacrifice, but in reality they've done very little to help the human condition.

Earl: I gave that homeless man my half eaten apple.
Roger: Wow, thats mighty white of you.
You're welcome, little boi.

#16 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:34 PM | Reply

#6 So, he meant the best of the best after the worst of the worst on day one ("at the beginning")?

Is that your rationalization today, bj boi?

#17 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:36 PM | Reply

Fiend,

I knew what it meant.

It's still racist.

#18 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:38 PM | Reply

#15 "I might even convince someone here to vote with me, too."

Flag:

It is the ultimate disconnect: someone passionately digging their heels in, entirely convinced they are winning people over, completely oblivious to the fact that they are just the butt of the joke.

#19 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:42 PM | Reply

#18 If you knew what it meant, you wouldn't have asked, bj boi.

#20 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:42 PM | Reply

#18 Language evolves, bj boi, like your supposed "Christianity" evolved enormously over time..

You, obviously, have never evolved.

#21 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-16 09:48 PM | Reply

Isn't that literally considered racist?
Who still says that?

Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 09:29 PM | Reply

No actually it isn't racist. Oopsie Daisy

#22 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2026-05-16 09:55 PM | Reply

"I thought that was what was going on in the beginning."

No, that was the "deny Due Process" part.

"Did Trump say "only"?"

He said the worst of the worst. Instead, ICE has gone after the easiest of the easy.

It's behavior you'll be enabling in five months.

#23 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 10:01 PM | Reply

Laura,

"No actually it isn't racist. Oopsie Daisy"

I believe it is.

Saying "that's mighty white of you" sounds like an implication of racial superiority or moral superiority tied to being white.

#24 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:07 PM | Reply

I believe it is.

Mighty white of you.

#25 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-16 10:09 PM | Reply

Dan,

"Instead, ICE has gone after the easiest of the easy."

How do you know that?

Have you been traveling embedded with them?

You have any earthly idea how dangerous their jobs are?

You're talking as though every ICE operation is simple and risk-free when you really don't know what they deal with.

Every day they go into situations most people would never willingly walk into, and they never know exactly what they're about to face.

#26 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:16 PM | Reply

Saying "that's mighty white of you" sounds like an implication of racial superiority or moral superiority tied to being white.

Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:07 PM | Reply

Well considering that if you weren't a WASP back in the day You were considered a second class person. It's a factual statement. If you have a problem with that. You should look internally for the reason why. Just sayin

#27 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2026-05-16 10:18 PM | Reply

" You have any earthly idea how dangerous their jobs are?"

Clearly, not as dangerous as protesting near them, or attempting to help a defenseless victim of theirs.

Zero ICE deaths, and at least a pair of murders.

#28 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 10:24 PM | Reply

Fiend,

"entirely convinced they are winning people over"

No...you have me all wrong about what I believe.

I appreciate people like you and Dan and Laura and others.

I frame my thoughts here that I use in the rest of my life.

#29 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:25 PM | Reply

"How do you know that?"

If they were dangerous, they would've been paraded publicly.

Instead, ICE won't even meet standards routinely employed by judges, DAs, and beat cops.

They hide their faces and their badges, because people like you enable them.

#30 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-16 10:30 PM | Reply

BullJohnson is fine with Donald Trump raping children.

Thats who you're talking to.

Someone who believes he's morally superior to everyone here and his opinions mean more than facts.

The fact any of you continue to engage him in a civil discussion makes him feel like his opinions are worth merit.

#31 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-16 10:31 PM | Reply

Dan,

I won't discuss the specifics of those 2 deaths.

Who I believe is responsible and how they could have been prevented.

I will say I believe they died for their cause and their deaths were not in vain.

They both pushed the envelope and actually accomplished what they wanted to do.

#32 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:32 PM | Reply

they died for their cause

Fuck.

You.

#33 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-16 10:36 PM | Reply

Bill:
"You're talking as though every ICE operation is simple and risk-free when you really don't know what they deal with."

You're sounding like the type of person who made excuses for and objected to any criticisms of the military in the wake of the Abu Ghraib scandal. But I'm guessing you probably didn't have any problem with federal law enforcement being attacked as "jack-booted thugs" under different presidents. (I remember G Gordon Liddy and others using that phrase under Clinton in the '90s.)

Laura:
"No actually it isn't racist. Oopsie Daisy"

You're not any more credible than Bill here. We all know the person who said it was being racist, just like certain posters here regularly troll with antisemitic stuff and least one other regularly uses a anti-Chinese slur without consequence.

#34 | Posted by sentinel at 2026-05-16 10:41 PM | Reply

they died for their cause

More like they died because of their cause.

Mess with ICE, get the horns.

#35 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-16 10:41 PM | Reply

Dan,

"They hide their faces and their badges"

Be honest with yourself for a moment.

You know good and well why they feel they must protect their identities.

If you can't show any compassion for them and their families, I'm really sorry.

#36 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:47 PM | Reply

We all know the person who said it was being racist

The person who originally said it is White.

Can a person be racist against their own race?

Black people using the N-word prove that it's OK.

#37 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-16 10:48 PM | Reply

- uses a anti-Chinese slur without consequence.

The are the potential consequences of getting serious cooties from that poster whenever addressing him.

And #12 wasn't racist at all; it was complementary.

Just like wearing a swastika is cool, right?

It ALWAYS means one is contemplating their navel, not gassing Jew. Right?

#38 | Posted by Corky at 2026-05-16 10:49 PM | Reply


they died for their cause

Fuck.
You.
#33 | POSTED BY CLOWNSHACK

Are you saying they didn't?


More like they died because of their cause.
Mess with ICE, get the horns.
#35 | POSTED BY REDIAL

A distinction without a difference. American LEO are too lenient as it is, thats what causes these issues.

If they weren't so lenient they wouldn't be behaving so poorly. Sure you can protest, but interfere and screaming in the face of LEO's isn't protesting.

#39 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-05-16 10:49 PM | Reply

Not all Nazis wore uniforms and marched in the streets.

A lot of them spent a good deal of time justifying their actions.

The loser Trumpers who visit the DR are the latter version of Nazis.

#40 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-16 10:52 PM | Reply

Redial,

No...you aren't getting it at all.

They died for a cause.

I don't approve of their actions. That is what got them in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But, their deaths were not in vain, like so many are every day.

#41 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2026-05-16 10:52 PM | Reply

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