This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer CenterA US military veteran arrested on federal conspiracy charges after participating in a June 2025 protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told the Guardian he refuses to plead guilty and is ready to face justice. Photograph: Courtesy Mavalwalla familyThe 11 June protest against ICE that led to Mavalwalla’s arrest was confrontational at times, leaving a government vehicle damaged. A month after the protest, federal prosecutors took the unusual step of bringing conspiracy charges against nine of the demonstrators. Media reports of Mavalwalla’s arrest also sparked outrage by fellow veterans who called his prosecution un-democratic. Since Mavalwalla’s arrest in July, the use of federal conspiracy charges has become more commonplace.

Source: The Guardian March 21, 2026 01:50 UTC