21-year-old activist injured by ICE:
I will be blind for life. I have fractures in my skull that they can't fix. I can't sneeze or cough because it's dangerous to. They pulled a piece of plastic the size of a nickel out of my eye. I had shards of metal, glass, and plastic behind… pic.twitter.com/hlUBppcrMq
— FactPost (@factpostnews) January 15, 2026Severe Injury at Santa Ana Anti-ICE Protest Sparks National DebateOn January 9, 2026, 21-year-old activist Kaden Rummler suffered life-altering injuries during an anti-ICE demonstration outside a federal building in Santa Ana, California. The protest was held in response to the recent fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.Video footage from the scene shows Rummler, who was holding a megaphone and part of a group attempting to intervene as federal agents arrested another protester, being struck at close range in the face by a “less-lethal” projectile fired by a Department of Homeland Security officer.Rummler underwent six hours of emergency surgery. According to his family and statements he provided through advocates, the impact caused:
- Permanent blindness in his left eye (a ruptured globe, with doctors removing a plastic fragment the size of a nickel)
- Unfixable skull fractures
- Embedded shards of metal, glass, and plastic near his carotid artery (one piece lodged just millimeters away)
- Respiratory restrictions that make even sneezing or coughing dangerous
Doctors reportedly described his survival as a “miracle.”DHS officials have described the crowd as violent, claiming protesters threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks, injuring officers. They characterized the incident as justified crowd control during a chaotic situation. Rummler and fellow protesters maintain the demonstration was largely peaceful, and that the use of force was excessive.The case has ignited intense online debate, with supporters calling it an example of excessive federal force against peaceful dissent, while critics argue Rummler’s actions — moving toward agents during an arrest — constituted interference that justified the response (often summarized as “FAFO” — f*** around and find out).As of January 16, 2026, Rummler has been released from the hospital and is recovering, with a GoFundMe campaign set up to help cover mounting medical expenses. Civil rights advocates and some members of Congress are calling for an independent investigation into the incident and the broader use of less-lethal munitions in protest situations.
Daily Immigrant
