Trump Has Ushered In An Era Of Politically Motivated Arrests In The USA
The regime of secret police don't draw the line at politicians
By André Costa | October 2 2025
The year 2025 has seen a series of alarming arrests of political figures under Donald Trump’s regime. These incidents involve judges, mayors, labor leaders, and former federal officials. Taken together, they reveal a regime willing to use law enforcement against oversight and dissent, and a system where all of the norms that have been set by precedent have now been thrown out the window.
When political arrests are the norm, you are no longer in the USA of old, but in a nation that has a lot more in common with the countries that the USA once considered enemies. An article showing the number of political arrests feels like it should be written about one of those countries, like Russia or North Korea, but in 2025, the USA has jumped into bed with authoritarianism.
Let’s run down these arrests:
Judge Hannah Dugan
On April 25, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by FBI agents, accused of helping an undocumented defendant avoid ICE agents in her courthouse. Federal prosecutors charged her with obstruction of an immigration arrest and concealing an individual. Dugan pleaded not guilty, arguing judicial immunity. She was suspended from the bench pending trial.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver
On May 9, ICE thugs arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside the Delaney Hall detention center after he joined protesters demanding oversight. Baraka was briefly charged with trespass before prosecutors dropped the charges. That same confrontation later resulted in charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver, accused of assaulting and impeding federal officers as she intervened during Baraka’s arrest. Democrats blasted her prosecution as political retribution.
Labor Leader David Huerta and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander
June saw multiple political arrests. In Los Angeles, David Huerta, president of SEIU California, was arrested by ICE/HSI agents during a protest against raids. He was charged with conspiracy to impede a federal officer, sparking outrage from California officials who called him a respected community leader. Days later, in Manhattan, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested in an immigration court hallway after attempting to block an ICE detention. DHS accused him of assaulting an officer; no formal charges were filed.
11 New York Lawmakers and City Officials at Federal Plaza
On September 18, Lander again was arrested, this time alongside ten state lawmakers at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. Senators Julia Salazar, Gustavo Rivera, and Jabari Brisport, along with several assembly members, were detained after demanding access to ICE’s holding cells. Denied entry, they staged a sit-in and were arrested by DHS agents. In total, 11 elected officials were taken into custody. They were issued summonses for trespass and disorderly conduct, then released the same day.
Outside the same facility, additional arrests were made. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Council Members Sandy Nurse and Tiffany Cabán were detained by the NYPD while blocking an ICE garage entrance with protesters. They too were released after brief detention.
James Comey Indicted
On September 25, Trump’s Justice Department unsealed an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. Prosecutors charged him with making false statements to Congress and obstruction of a congressional proceeding, tied to his past testimony about the Russia investigation. Trump had publicly demanded prosecutions of his “enemies,” and Democrats decried the case as retaliatory and unprecedented.
From judges and mayors to labor leaders and sitting legislators, Trump’s 2025 crackdown shows a disturbing willingness to use federal power against political opponents and those demanding oversight. While some charges were quickly dropped, everyone now knows that elected officials and activists face the threat of arrest simply for performing their duties or exercising their rights. This pattern is more than coincidence, it is a warning sign for democracy itself.