Federal Jury Convicts 3 ICE Protesters of Felony Conspiracy, Exposing Them to 6 Years
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 29
Federal Jury Convicts 3 ICE Protesters of Felony Conspiracy, Exposing Them to 6 Years
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 29
Three Spokane protesters — including Afghanistan veteran Bajun Mavalwalla — were convicted on felony conspiracy charges over a June 2025 anti-ICE protest and now face up to six years in prison and $250,000 fines.
A Rule 29 motion and expected appeals will challenge a case in which Judge Rebecca Pennell barred a First Amendment defense and jurors did not hear that a federal judge later found the targeted migrant's arrest unconstitutional.
About 24 hours after closing arguments, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts despite no reported injuries, no evidence the three coordinated before the protest, and controversy over an ICE witness's racist and anti-trans posts.
Richard Barker, the acting US attorney who resigned rather than sign the indictment, said justice may not have been served in what he called Eastern Washington's first use of the Civil War-era 18 USC 372 statute.
Legal scholars and supporters cast the verdict as a broader test of protest rights under Trump, especially after federal prosecutors in Chicago dropped similar conspiracy charges on 8 May and pursued only misdemeanors.
If a top prosecutor resigned rather than charge them, why were these protesters found guilty?
When does exercising the right to protest become a federal felony conspiracy?
"The Spokane 3 Conviction: How a 2026 Felony Conspiracy Verdict Signals a New Era for Protest and Civil Liberties in the U.S."
Overview
The "Spokane 3"—Bajun Mavalwalla II, Justice Forral, and Jac Archer—were convicted of felony conspiracy on May 28, 2026, after a high-profile protest in Spokane. The protest began on June 11, 2025, when two Venezuelan asylum seekers were told by ICE they would be sent to a detention center, prompting former City Council President Ben Stuckart to call for a peaceful demonstration. Hundreds joined, sitting in front of the transport bus to block its departure. The case highlights how federal authorities are using conspiracy charges against protesters, raising concerns about the future of civil liberties and protest rights in the U.S.