In short
The episode is a politically charged segment alleging that Trump-era actions by ICE and federal agents are violent, unconstitutional, and terrorizing immigrants and other targeted communities. It claims agents point weapons, use pepper spray/chemical agents, ram cars, and kill people, with video “caught on tape.”
Notable examples
a Chicago-area incident where ICE is accused of threatening a woman filming; West Chicago claims of kidnapping two Latino indigenous men; a Portland ICE facility standoff involving DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and protesters (including a “chicken suit” influencer); and cases of detained U.S. citizens/adopted citizens (Dariana Fajarda, Isaiah Cabrera, Silviano Moravera) allegedly held without clear transparency. Guest info: no podcast guests are identified in the provided transcript.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VODocumenting Trump's Gestapo
1:54 to 2:24
A discussion on the alarming actions of ICE and law enforcement under Trump.
“Most people overpay for car insurance, not because they're careless, but because switching feels like too much hassle.”
Documenting Trump's Gestapo
2:29 to 6:00
A discussion on the alarming actions of ICE and law enforcement under Trump.
“The photographs, the videos, we have it all caught on tape, on camera.”
Citizen Harassment and Detention
6:00 to 8:33
Personal accounts and implications of ICE actions against American citizens.
“They were talking in the car and asked how many were arrested.”
Kristi Noem's Controversial Actions
8:33 to 14:02
Critique of Kristi Noem's behavior and rhetoric during her visits to Portland.
“now cultural movement it says kidnapping first asking questions later this was a kidnapping by ICE agents that took place in West Chicago.”
Protests and Law Enforcement
14:02 to 15:24
Discussing the state of protests and law enforcement responses, including a specific incident involving a chicken suit.
“to the protesters, especially the man in the chicken outfit.”
The Case of Isaiah Cabrera
15:24 to 18:11
Sharing the story of Isaiah Cabrera, a detained individual and the challenges faced by his family.
“An individual from Tennessee, ICE detained her son.”
The Detention of Silviano Moravera
18:11 to 21:00
Exploring the story of Silviano Moravera's detention and his family's struggle for answers.
“And I think that's an important point to discuss.”
Kristi Noem's Controversial Statements
21:00 to 21:47
Analyzing Kristi Noem's remarks about Portland and her criticism of elected officials.
“And then, of course, Kristi Noem last night in typical MAGA fashion.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Monday AI agents took over my work and I absolutely love it. Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders. Agents handle the daily grind now. They live inside Monday.com. So they see the full picture. My work, my team, the whole company. And I don't have to worry about the data. It's safe, which means I'm free to focus on the big stuff, knowing everything runs smoothly in the background. It's completely shifted the way we work. Create your own AI agent in minutes on Monday.com. This is summer at its peak. Whole Foods Market Summer Fruit Fest is your invitation to eat the season.
0:36Fresh, organic, and bursting with flavor. Start your day with peaches and organic blueberries and yogurt. Build a grazing board with fresh fruit, prosciutto, and artisanal cheese. Then fire up the grill with no antibiotics ever proteins and fresh produce. Savor the season. Shop Summer Fruit Fest at Whole Foods Market. You've made an AI investment for your team. You rolled it out and a handful of people use it every day. Everyone else, they tried it, but nothing clicked. They went back to what they knew. That's not a people problem. It's a product problem. Superhuman fixes that. From the makers of Grammarly, Superhuman brings AI into every tool your team already works in.
1:16So they get instant help with drafting, summarizing, and finding information. With most AI tools, you need to know what to ask, how to ask it, and how to connect to your work. Most people don't have the time or patience to get there. So the gap between the best people on your team and everyone else gets bigger. With Superhuman, your team doesn't need to build new habits or spend hours on training. Superhuman is already there with the right context and ready before they even have to ask. When every person on your team works at their best, that's when your AI investments start to compound. See what Superhuman can do at superhuman.com.
1:53That's superhuman.com. Most people overpay for car insurance, not because they're careless, but because switching feels like too much hassle. That's why there's Jerry, your proactive insurance assistant. Jerry compares rates side by side from over 50 top insurers and helps you switch with ease. Jerry even tracks market rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. No spam calls, No Hidden Fees. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over$1 ,300 a year. Switch with confidence. Download the Jerry app or visit jerry.ai slash libsyn today. That's j-e-r-r-y dot a-i slash l-i-b-s-y-n.
2:33Ben Meiselas:The photographs, the videos, we have it all caught on tape, on camera. Donald Trump's Gestapo going around the country with weapons of war pointed outside of their vehicles. Donald Trump's Gestapo pummeling people on the street, throwing them into concentration camps. Donald Trump's Gestapo engaged in chemical warfare against people, pepper spray, other gas agents. Donald Trump's Gestapo on the street ramming into cars, officers getting out, shooting people multiple times, Donald Trump's Gestapo killing people in the United States of America. This is happening before our eyes. It's being documented before our eyes.
3:22Ben Meiselas:Wake up, people. I know our Midas Touch viewers get what's happening, but please share the video I'm about to make right here. Share this video with as many people as you know. That's the favor that I ask of you because we have to get the message out about what is happening in the United States right now. The United States is not in a constitutional crisis. We are in a dictatorship by a weak and pathetic wannabe, I don't know, man in Donald Trump who every day destroys our constitution evermore. I mean, look at this photograph right here. This is what it looks like to live in the United States of America today.
4:07Ben Meiselas:As Laura Rodriguez Presser writes, a federal agent points a weapon at a woman who was recording them. Jess, a U.S. citizen and member of a neighborhood patrol team that documents and shares ice activity across the city was filming when the incident occurred earlier today, and that was in the Chicago area. Just so you see what it looks like in Chicago as well, as members of the Texas National Guard have arrived in Illinois, according to sources familiar with the whereabouts and video taken of them at an Army Reserve training facility in Chicago's suburb. You see them right there. The New York Times reports that neighbors warn neighbors as fear of ice ripples across Chicago.
4:51Ben Meiselas:Parents are standing guard at schools. Some restaurants have stopped delivering food or simply close. Every single person who looks brown is scared, a lawyer said, quote, our family gatherings are filled with crying and trying to figure out how we get past this moment, one person noted, Mr. Aguayo. People are being terrorized. People are being attacked. That's what it feels like. And my language is not hyperbolic. I get pissed off when others may say, well, why are you speaking like, why are you saying that? This is what is happening in the United States of America right now. ICE dragging a US citizen out of a car.
5:36Ben Meiselas:They lie about her making an illegal U-turn. Quote, I was driving around and told to leave, but I was boxed in. She said, I told them I couldn't. And they pulled me out of the car. Agents were upset they missed their migrant quota. So they go target people who were brown to throw them the concentration camp quota. Only one, and she's a citizen. Only one, and she's a citizen. They were pissed. They were talking in the car and asked how many were arrested. They were disappointed that I was a citizen. Dariana Fajarda is a native-born American citizen. When she called out for the mayor, Sam Cunningham, to help, He came over to try to deescalate the situation right by City Hall.
6:20Ben Meiselas:Here, play this clip.
6:46What the fuck?
6:57You don't need a warrant.
7:17Ben Meiselas:Now that clip proceeds for several minutes and then I want to show you when the mayor, Mayor Sam Cunningham tries to intervene. Let's play the latter part of that longer clip. I cut it for you so you can see kind of one of the other key portions. Let's play it. Are you sure these are the keys? All right, I'm gonna have somebody come and get the car. Guys, you're killing me. They're just throwing the city, man. I know. Right now. Ma 'am. Hey, get in the car. Tell them to get in the car. Tell them to get in the car. Get in the car. No, I'm not getting on the rescue for anything. Stay on the sidewalk.
8:02Go ahead for any person. Hey. Stay off the sidewalk. Stay off the sidewalk. harassing me right right it's okay don't let don't let them that's what they want okay it's okay
8:21i get it
8:27i'm not the one i am i'm gonna go everybody everybody let them go
8:49Ben Meiselas:now cultural movement it says kidnapping first asking questions later this was a kidnapping by ICE agents that took place in West Chicago. They took two Latino indigenous men for no reason other than being brown skin. And then ICE decided to drop them off a block away because they found out they are here lawfully. Here, play this clip.
9:29there.
9:35Here.
10:02Ben Meiselas:Now, while that was going on, And Kristi Noem took her fake Christian schtick to Portland, Oregon, where she's like, let us pray. Let us pray. By the way, whether you're religious or not religious, I mean, this is just a vile, vile human being. To me, Kristi Noem is a vomit-inducing human. Everything about her is despicable. Here's Kristi Noem right here doing her fake prayer before rounding people up. Here, play this clip. ...together that you give us good fellowship, Lord, but that you also give us wisdom and discernment. You know what? I've got a big announcement. I've officially retired my old pans.
10:43They couldn't handle the heat. The cleanup was a nightmare. And honestly, they just looked tired. But then I got hex clad. And let me tell you, these things are sexy. They perform better than anything I've ever cooked on. And they've completely taken over my kitchen. Fall is here, and you know what that means. The temps are dropping, but your kitchen is heating up. It's game day spreads, slow simmered stews, and comfort food on repeat. And if your current pans flinch every time they see high heat, you deserve better. Enter Hexclad, the cookware that's as serious about performance as you are about that meat thermometer.
11:15This isn't your grandma's nonstick. Hexclad pans give you that perfect sear, crazy durability, and easy cleanup without babying your cookware. Stainless steel strength, toxin-free, nonstick convenience, and yeah, they look damn good sitting on your stovetop. And if you're ready to upgrade big, Hexclad's 6-piece and 12-piece sets take the guesswork out of cooking. You'll have every tool you'll need for any recipe backed by a lifetime warranty. Game days are here. It's time to upgrade your kitchen for hosting season. Get 10 % off at hexclad.com slash Midas and make sure your spread is as strong as your lineup.
11:53Support the show and cook with gear as serious as your passion at hexclad.com forward slash Midas, M-E-I-D-A-S. Let Hexclad know we sent you and experience the ultimate upgrade in your kitchen with Hexclad's superior performance.
12:10Ben Meiselas:And this is an actual video posted by right wing influencer Benny Johnson from Portland, Oregon, and they think this looks tough. So she's scouring the war zone. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stares down. This is what they literally wrote. This is what the right wing influencers are saying. She stared down an army of Antifa and a guy in a chicken suit from the rooftop of the ICE facility here in Portland. Gnome says, hey, guy in the chicken suit, you can do better. Too bad they are uneducated and ill-informed. Gnome isn't a chicken. This is not sarcastic. This is what they really are saying, what they consider to be a war zone.
12:51Ben Meiselas:Look at the photograph here. You see the guy in the chicken suit right there? And here's what Christine Gnome, this is what it looks like. Here, play this clip.
13:05Can you see this whole thing?
13:25I got entendre hot air, that's the tenir.
13:36Ten a lamp!
13:44Tеру pounds !理as .今 Cristina! Te PR Welcome! Tивается책 login! So is it the legal that you have this meeting from the world? Yes. That crowd would be here right about this morning. That's the PD. It could be right in front of the room. That's the PD's got to be here. This is it. No dogs here. Yeah. Really true. No dogs here. Yeah. That's true. That's true. That's true. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
14:16Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Secretary, do you have a message? to the protesters, especially the man in the chicken outfit. The man in the chicken outfit? I just see him now. Goodness sakes. We can do better. Our goal is that people would peacefully protest, but that we would still be allowed to enforce the law in this country. It's too bad they're uneducated and no-informed.
14:42It's good to see. We'll see what we can do to get to the people. This is absolutely nothing as to what it is at night, though. It's really bad.
14:51Ben Meiselas:Now, all those right-wing MAGA influencers and podcasters, they're playing cosplay on the roof of that building in Portland, Oregon, looking down at the peaceful protesters by the ICE facilities. Look at them. They're like they're giddy. They're like they're at Disneyland or Disney World. Look, on top of the roof at the Portland ICE facility with sniper rifles pointed down at a tiny group of peaceful protesters and a dude wearing a chicken suit. Shows you how weak these individuals are. I want to share this story with you. An individual from Tennessee, ICE detained her son. Now his mom says he just disappeared.
15:31Ben Meiselas:He called me panicking. She said, I said, where are you going? He did not know. And he only had 30 seconds to talk to me. Isai Cabrera lived in the U.S. since he was seven months old and is adopted by U.S. citizens. We checked into the price of getting his green card and visa, and we were running at like$16 ,000 for the whole process. And unless you're rich, who can afford that? He was transferred to an unknown location. Nobody knows where he is. Here, play this clip. Family and friends want to know, where is Isaiah Cabrera? Well, he called me panicking, saying that he was being he was being shipped out in the morning that they came in and said everybody needed to be ready by 430 that they were getting shipped out.
16:15And I said, where are you going? He said he did not know. And he only had 30 seconds to talk to me.
16:20Ben Meiselas:A mystery in Mason as 24-year-old Isaiah Cabrera was at the Western Tennessee ICE Detention Center on Saturday and a day later his adopted mother says he's not. 24-year-old Isaiah has lived almost his entire life in the United States. Leslie Whitehead, his adopted mother, says he was brought to America when he was just seven months old. She became Isaiah's legal guardian after his biological parents were deported in 2001. She says Isaiah started a family in Holes, Tennessee and has a young daughter that means the world to him. Earlier this month, he was pulled over for a broken taillight. When he didn't have proper identification, he was sent to the ICE Detention Center in Mason.
16:59Ben Meiselas:She described the feeling when she found out her son had been detained. I just lost my mom two months ago, and I felt a gut-wrenching feeling inside my stomach like I had just lost my son. Leslie and Isaiah have tried to get him a green card over the years, but she says the prices for proper registration have gotten out of control. We checked into the price of getting his green card and visa, and we was running into like $16 ,000 for the whole process. And nobody really, I mean, unless you're rich, you can't afford that. Cabrera has never learned Spanish. Leslie says since being detained, he's having a hard time being surrounded by people he couldn't communicate with.
17:43He said that the sergeant didn't like him because he spoke better English than she did.
17:47Ben Meiselas:For what's to come next, Leslie isn't sure, but hopes Isaiah can come home. I feel like we have a right to know where they are because we love him. And he's got a little girl out here that says every day that she misses her daddy. And we've reached out to ICE to find out where Isaiah is right now. We haven't heard back yet, but we will let you know when that changes. From downtown Memphis, I'm Harrison Clapp, your news leader, WREG, News Channel 3. And I think that's an important point to discuss. There have been so many migrants who have just disappeared. Alligator, Alcatraz, what was it, about 1 ,800 human beings missing.
18:25Ben Meiselas:They may be dead. They may be deported. Nobody knows. Unaccounted for. and how many people we know of about 15 to 20 deaths at ICE facilities. But is that number 10 times that 20 times that we don't know because there's no transparency. Human beings are just disappearing in the United States from masked agents. Okay. And here we have ICE detaining the father legally in the U.S. in front of his son's school bus. He had a valid visa permit that grants him work authorization and an active social security number. Here play this clip. It was a morning like any other for 17-year-old Guillermo as he waited for his school bus until his father, Silviano Moravera, a lawful immigrant, was taken right in front of him.
19:15That's when I ran over there. I dropped my book bag. I asked my mom what was going on, what was going on. She was like, your dad? And I was like, what? And then that's when I ran towards them. And I was like, who are you guys? I got a swat. The men, Guillermo says, identified themselves as agents with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. ICE claims Moraveira is here illegally, but his family, who asked us to conceal their identities, say he is in the country with a rare U visa given to immigrants who are victims of crimes or who cooperate with law enforcement during investigations. Searching for answers, Guillermo says he took his father's paperwork to the Richmond ICE Field Office, but it didn't help.
Read the full transcript
19:57So it's just like, you know, and this country is like, if we do it the right way, we still get punished. If we do it the wrong way, we still get punished. So it's just like, well, what do you want us to do? Like, it doesn't make sense. Like, it feels like there isn't really an American dream anymore. His dad is now being held at Farmville Detention Center, along with an increasing number of detainees. Across Virginia, ICE activity has spiked since January 2025, with over 4 ,000 arrests, leaving families like Moraveras fearful. I know that he's thinking about us, that he left us here, and his children, that are very attached to him, and that I always with him.
20:40Right now, every time he calls me, they say, don't leave, don't leave. My children come out of a car. Don't leave, Mom, don't leave. They say, there's a car. The family is in limbo waiting to see what will happen. Moravera is scheduled for an immigration court hearing in late October. For VPM News, Kyrus Manzanares.
21:02Ben Meiselas:And then, of course, Kristi Noem last night in typical MAGA fashion. Losers. These are losers. These are loser people. They want to act tough. Then she plays the victim. It's like, oh, my God, you know, it was actually the California senator. you know he he attacked me you know in this clip she goes we've been dealing with Portland there are a bunch of pansies in Portland we're gonna we're gonna step up right here here play this clip and that is what is shocking to me about these leftist politicians just how they ignore the people who elected them jeopardize their safety and continue to disrespect our law enforcement officers so one of the things I've been dealing with all day here in Portland is a bunch of pansies that are elected into political office who won't make a decision to keep their citizens safe let Let me know what you think.
21:48Ben Meiselas:Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million. Thank you so much for watching. Love this video? Support independent media and unlock exclusive content, ad-free videos, and custom emojis by becoming a paid member of our YouTube channel today. You can also gift memberships to others. Let's keep growing together.
22:17even open the refrigerators. Plus, our in-store designers will help you bring it all together with free one-on-one design support for any project on any budget. Yep, least that free. Oh, and did we mention the cafe? So what are you waiting for? Come see all that's in store. Visit the Wayfair store today at Edens Plaza and Will Mett. Wayfair, every style, every home. Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited premium wireless for$15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made$15 bills. But it turns out
22:53Ben Meiselas:that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of$45 for three months, $90 for six months, or$180 for 12-month plan required. $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. See terms.
From the publisher
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump’s invasion of American cities and towns across the United States being caught on video and in photos all documenting this unprecedented time in American history.
Hexclad: Shop the biggest sale of the year and find your forever cookware @HEXCLAD at https://hexclad.com/meidas
#hexcladpartner
Visit https://meidasplus.com for more!
Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts:
MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast
Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af
MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial
The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast
The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan
Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen
The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show
Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats
Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54
Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown
On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman
Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered
Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
