It’s a dangerous time in America for independent journalists. Looking down the barrel of fascism’s gun through the lens of a camera.

Not just metaphorically.

In these times it’s not unusual for the press to be face to face with a live weapon wielded by a trigger-happy state-sanctioned goon.

That’s exactly where photojournalist Steven Berumen, aka ‘Snail,’ found himself one night while covering the protests outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles - a facility being used as a concentration camp for those kidnapped by ICE.

“We’re used to seeing the feds out there with guns,” Steven told me. “DHS will come out to protests with assault rifles. Snipers will be on the roof of MDC aiming their weapons at protesters.”

It comes with the territory.

But this night was different.

The gun wasn’t on a roof or behind the lines of feds staging to kettle protesters. It was in the hands of a lone corrections officer, desperate and dangerous.

Snail heard the commotion from across the street, seeing an altercation happening and believing it was an outside agitator being dealt with by the protesters.

When he ran over to investigate though, he saw it was one of the corrections officers from MDC. His face was beat up and he was flailing his pistol around wildly.

“I didn’t even think,” Snail said. “I didn’t even care about the gun. I ran up with my camera and started snapping photos.”

Because that’s the job.

In the field, during high risk situations, there’s hardly any time to think. Everything escalates at a rapid pace and there’s only time to capture. Danger is an afterthought.

Snail was shocked when the gun was pointed at him but said he remained “mission focused,” and that it looked like the officer “didn’t have it in him to pull the trigger.”

“From what I heard the corrections officer told a lady to ‘back up or I’ll knock you the fuck out,’ and that’s when the fight started,” Snail told me. “The corrections officer was hitting a protester over the head with his pistol.”

Protesters filmed as the CO threatened them with his gun. Eventually another officer came to his aid, also brandishing a weapon.

They got into an elevator, still pointing their guns as the doors closed, and then they were gone.

It was a moment that could have ended much differently, but sometimes a camera can do enough to discourage the violent wrath of insecure men intent to abuse what little authority they believe they have.

That’s why it’s so important that we document everything they do.

These federal agents and “law enforcement officers” continue to commit acts of violence against the public while not being held accountable.

But they will be held accountable.

That’s the necessity of independent journalism.

We are keeping a record of these injustices for history to see. Regardless of the danger. In spite of any repercussions.

If you’d like to follow Snails work as he continues to document what’s happening on the ground outside LA’s ICE concentration camp, you can follow him on Instagram here.

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The gathering came after an effort to cancel the event. Two Fort Lauderdale venues had pulled out before the event took place following a campaign targeted the gathering and accused organizers and participants of antisemitism. According to organizers, the backlash ultimately forced the event to find another location, but organizers continued forward and the gathering went ahead.

Those who were able to attend described the event as an important opportunity for the candidates to appear together after the controversy and venue cancellations. The gathering reflected the growing push for progressive and Democratic Socialist candidates in South Florida, with speakers focusing on political organizing, a new generation of leadership, and challenging what they described as an entrenched political establishment.

Angie Nixon Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives representing District 13

Photographed Friday, August 14, ahead of Florida’s primary elections.

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Photos by Jose Mejia

Organized by Gen Z for change

The effects of immigration enforcement extend far beyond arrests. Across several neighborhoods in Fort Myers, mattresses, piles of clothing, furniture, and children’s toys lined the curbs outside apartment buildings where, according to a legal observer, families had been detained or deported.

Accompanied by fellow photojournalist Dave Decker and a legal observer, Jose Mejia spent the day documenting the impact increased ICE activity has had on immigrant communities.

The legal observer described the scenes as a recurring pattern.

“It’s very common to see families’ belongings left out on the street, and then a rental sign goes up almost immediately afterward. Sometimes these items sit there for weeks before the city comes to pick them up. It’s really sad. These are our neighbors. Behind every pile of furniture, clothing, or children’s toys is the story of a family. It’s not just a pile of trash.”

The abandoned belongings served as visible reminders of the human impact that immigration enforcement can have on families and communities, transforming ordinary household items into evidence of sudden displacement.

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The blue sign that once marked the entrance has disappeared, leaving behind only chain-link fencing, heavy steel gates, and an empty road leading into what human rights advocates describe as one of the darkest chapters in Florida's immigration system.

Although the camp has been shut down, the suffering has not ended.

Many of those imprisoned there were transferred to the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami, where families and immigrant rights organizations continue to report overcrowding, inadequate food, lack of clean drinking water, denial of medication, and extreme indoor temperatures

Relatives and advocates say cells built for 50 people now hold nearly twice that number, with detainees allegedly forced to drink from sinks or toilets while enduring inhumane conditions

Photos by Jose Mejia

As millions of Americans celebrated July 4th, human rights advocates marched along the National Mall exposing Isreal's current occupation of Amercian politics and media. Crowds were enraged as a shackled Lady Liberty was lead down Pennsylvania ave from the White House towards the US Capitol, Washington DC by Bibi Netanyahu.

We were literally verbally attacked repeatedly and several attempts were made to physically attack us, which was stopped by the large police escort. Protestors reminded the crowds that Americans do not want to send money to Israel, but instead want to fund education, healthcare and housing.

Protest organized by a DC grassroots network :

@rokhville @hazami

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Since we first began showing up and reporting there, we met incredible people and witnessed countless moments of resilience. There were times when people felt hopeless, times when families cried, and times when strangers embraced one another in solidarity.

The interfaith vigil brought together a remarkable community—from Betty Osceola to Arianne Betancourt. Seeing Justo Betancourt there after spending months in detention, and Mr. Robert Hilliard, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, standing in solidarity, was a powerful reminder of why people kept coming back week after week.

We saw organizations like The Workers Circle provide hope when it was needed most, offering legal assistance, support for families, and a sense of community during difficult times.

We are grateful to have been part of this history. For nearly 50 weeks, we stood alongside this community almost every Sunday, documenting the fight for freedom, dignity, and justice.

Alligator Alcatraz will soon be shut down.

We attended the weekly vigil outside “Alligator Alcatraz," where Arianne Betancourt was present once again, this time alongside her father, Justo Betancourt, who was recently released from Alligator Alcatraz Concentration Camp

It was a powerful moment between a daughter and her father. Arianne became an activist not only to fight for her father's freedom, but to stand up for the Hispanic and immigrant communities facing detention and separation across the United States.

As prayers were shared and hands joined in solidarity the people gathered at the vigil celebrated Justo's release and the strength of a family that refused to give up hope.

But despite promises and public pressure, Alligator Alcatraz remains open. The fight is not over.

Organizers, families, faith leaders, and community members continue showing up every week demanding the closure of this concentration camp once and for all.

Photos by Jose Mejia

I got to Selma around 11 a.m. and started walking up the Edmund Pettus Bridge. One of the very first people I saw was Annie Pearl Avery. She was in a wheelchair, coming down the incline of the bridge. She was arrested right there in 1965 during the civil rights movement.

At the top of the bridge, Black Voters Matter members were holding a massive banner. There was no chanting or shouting. People just walked slowly, completely focused. The march was part of the “All Roads Lead to the South” campaign, a response to the recent Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court ruling and redrawn voting maps in Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

Seeing the bridge used this way showed how little has changed; the fight for the Voting Rights Act is now being carried by a new generation. After the march, everyone gathered at the base of the bridge to listen to speakers. Hearing Annie Pearl Avery speak about her 1965 arrest on that exact ground really tied the whole day together. Organizers said this was just the beginning of a larger summer push for voter education and organizing across the South.

A good number of protesters gathered outside the events center in West Palm Beach on Friday evening, where President Trump was scheduled to speak.

The group, organized by Palm Beach Indivisible, stood near the Kravis Center as local police and federal agents secured the area. The strong security presence followed a recent incident in Washington, D.C., where someone tried to break into a major political event targeting members of the president’s administration.

As the start of the event approached, police moved protesters farther away, across Okeechobee Boulevard. Officials said they were creating a secure perimeter around the venue. Helicopters were also seen flying overhead.

A small group of counter-protesters was also present near the area, and at times there were moments of tension between both sides. Police remained between the groups to keep things from escalating.

Protesters held signs and showed them to drivers passing by during the busy evening traffic.

Photos by Jose Mejia

Miami is the Home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the United States, Miami-Dade is at the center of what's happening with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on April 29, 2026, the future of TPS remains uncertain, with a final decision expected by June 2026.

Right now, TPS protections are still in place due to ongoing court orders-but that could change depending on the ruling.

As the case moves toward the Supreme Court, the outcome is expected to have implications not only for Haitians but for more than a million TPS holders from multiple countries who rely on the program to remain legally in the U.S.

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the federal government, TPS protections for an estimated 350,000 Haitians could be at risk of ending, potentially disrupting families, workplaces, and entire communities across the country.

For now, families wait caught between temporary protection and an uncertain legal future that will soon be decided at the highest court in the country.

At the protest, families, workers, and community members shared their fears and demands: safety, stability, and the right to remain in a country they've helped build for years

Here are some shots from the protest By Jose Mejia

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They are among the longest held families there, enduring what they describe as mentally and physically devastating conditions alongside hundreds of others still inside facing the same reality.

Reports describe food contaminated with worms and mold, drinking water causing illness, and lights kept on 24/7, depriving children of sleep.

Medical care is delayed or denied, including critical medications for conditions like anxiety and autism. In early 2026, a 13 year old girl attempted suicide after being denied her medication during a lockdown.

Families are crowded into small trailers—sometimes up to 12 people in a single space with no privacy. Detainees also report punitive measures, including guards destroying children’s drawings and using threats of family separation as a form of control.

This facility is operated by CoreCivic under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a system where detention is not just policy, but business. Private ownership means companies are paid to keep beds full, turning the confinement of families into profit, and raising urgent questions about the ethics of profiting from human suffering.

On the ground reporting and music by Jeff Dazey

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We traveled to Los Angeles to document the national “Fuck ICE” day of protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown LA. What began as a powerful and unified demonstration quickly escalated as tensions rose between protesters and law enforcement. Demonstrators gathered to demand accountability and call for an end to immigration policies they view as unjust and inhumane, filling the streets with chants, signs, and a palpable sense of urgency.

As the day unfolded, the atmosphere shifted. Police presence intensified, and confrontations began to emerge, transforming the protest into a tense standoff. Despite the aggressive response, protesters remained steadfast, refusing to back down and continuing to make their voices heard.

Through it all, we documented the raw energy of the moment the defiance, the fear, and the resilience of a community standing up for what they believe in. These images and stories capture not just a protest, but a larger movement driven by the people

We traveled to Los Angeles to document the national

"Fuck ICE" protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown LA. What began as a powerful demonstration of resistance quickly escalated as protesters were met with an aggressive response from law enforcement. Tensions rose, but so did the determination of those in the streets demanding accountability and an end to the policies enforced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

These are some of the moments we captured on the ground - raw, unfiltered, and real.

We met Kate at the No Kings 3 Protest in Austin, Texas where she parked her mobile immigration office and allowed us aboard to ask her about her work. She’s spent 20 years working with asylum seekers navigating the harshest immigration policies, is the founder of Lincoln-Goldfinch Law and travels to events advocating for the rights of immigrants.

In a world where it seems like there are so many people who don’t care or actively cheer on cruelty, it is comforting to know professionals like Kate exist while injecting so much joy and kindness in the work they do.

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An attorney and founder of Abundance Law PLLC, Vice President of Justice and Advocacy at the Austin Urban League, a Public Safety Commissioner in Austin, and above all, a servant of the people.

From feeding folks on the streets as a child to now answering every call with “how may I serve you?” her work shows up where it matters most: supporting unhoused neighbors, single mothers and families navigating crisis.

In a time of growing injustice, she reminds us what it means to stand with community, push for change, and get into “good trouble.”

Austin, Texas voices like hers continue to lead with purpose, compassion, and action.

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With nearly a decade of organizing experience, she broke down how the event came together - from grassroots coordination to mobilizing the community.

Her work reflects years of dedication to building people-powered movements and showing what collective action can achieve.

The No Kings event in Austin, Texas was one of the most well-organized and inclusive days of national protest we have covered thus far.

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As the president and lead organizer of Hands Off Central Texas, she shared insight into how the event came together and the grassroots effort behind it. She also talked about her ongoing work defending local democracy, judicial integrity, and civil rights in her community.

From organizing on the ground to amplifying voices, her work reflects the power of sustained local action.

The No Kings Event in Austin, Texas was one of the most well-organized days of national protest we have covered thus far.

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These conditions are indicative of the lack of humanity the immigration system in the United States adopts, while the majority of people who are now being imprisoned in these concentration camps are innocent, the actual criminals of the highest order who control the system walk free.

Police were called onto the scene to investigate a shooting and were informed by a witness that the alleged shooter was Rafael Martinez.

At some point during the response, officers approached the vehicle of Edilberto Espinoza-Sierra - not the person they were looking for - and gave a command for the vehicle to stop before opening fire on him and killing him.

On Saturday March 14th, the family and friends of Edilberto gathered along with local activists during a protest to demand justice for Edilberto. They are calling on the community to attend the next town hall meeting on March 24th at 6:30pm to pack the room and join them in their demands for justice.

A moment like this not only deserves accountability, but solidarity of the community surrounding. Share and amplify if you can so that Edilberto’s story and the demand for justice can be heard as loud as possible.

If you’d like to donate to the fundraiser ‘Justice and Support for Edilberto Espinoza’ created by his sister Genesis, please do so here:

Fundraiser: Justice and Support for Edilberto Espinoza'

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