ICE jacket becomes a best-seller on Amazon: ‘If you want some entertainment, wear this and watch illegals run away’
The popularity of the garment is causing concern on social media. Content creators are outraged by its sale and are calling for its withdrawal
A jacket similar to those worn by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has become a best-seller on Amazon. The garment, made by The Goozler brand, ranks first among the jackets and coats category on the platform owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, with more than 200 units sold in the last month alone. This success has sparked a growing debate on social media about its implications and the associated risks.
At a recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event, host Jason Selvig interviewed an attendee wearing one of these garments. When questioned about his attire, the man admitted that he had no connection to the agency and mentioned that the jacket cost $29.99 on Amazon. He added wryly: “If you want some entertainment, wear this and go to a Home Depot in a sanctuary city, like Washington, D.C., and you’ll see a lot of illegals start to run away. You feel like a group fitness instructor. It’s really good.”
His response made Selvig uncomfortable, and he ended the interview by saying that the interviewee was “one of the worst people” he had seen at CPAC. “And that’s saying something.” But this is not an isolated incident. Reviews from customers who have purchased the jacket highlight their support for Trump’s security policy to “make America safe again,” which has further boosted the sale of these products. “We love supporting ICE officers and Border Patrol. They help keep our citizens safe,” wrote one buyer. Another said: “I bought it as a joke, but I have to say it was quite effective.”
On social media, some content creators have expressed their concern about the sale of these products on Amazon, questioning how their sale is permitted. Others have asked for them to be removed.
Jackets are not the only ICE-related item available. Patches with the agency’s logo, caps, T-shirts and other products are also sold, all with the esthetic associated with immigration agents. This phenomenon has generated great concern in the migrant community about possible cases of impersonation, which have already occurred.
On January 29 in Charleston County, South Carolina, Sean-Michael Johnson, 33, was arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonating a police officer after stopping a group of Latino men on a highway. According to court records, Johnson “willfully and unlawfully represented himself as an ICE agent and stopped a moving vehicle of individuals.” Another similar case occurred on February 1 in Philadelphia, where, according to a statement from Temple University, three individuals were arrested on campus for impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Two of them were wearing T-shirts that bore the inscriptions “Police” and “ICE” in white letters.
Authorities have issued warnings to the community about the increasing incidence of ICE impersonations and recommend checking the identification of anyone presenting themselves as an officer, asking to see their badge and official credentials before taking any action.
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