FBI Arrests Army Veteran In Spokane — Conspiracy Charge Signals Escalation In Prosecutions Of ICE Protesters

Bajun Mavalwalla II, an Afghanistan war veteran, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to impede or injure officers after joining a June protest against an ICE transport in Spokane. Legal experts say the use of a federal conspiracy statute — an intent-based charge rather than a traditional assault/obstruction count — represents an escalation in prosecutions of ICE demonstrators and could chill First Amendment activity. The case is linked to a regional pattern of delayed FBI arrests and broader prosecutorial tactics in the Pacific Northwest.