Modern-Day Debate DEBATE: Should Gang Leaders Be Called on to Oppose ICE? | Rogelio Martinez Vs Alexxander Medeiros
Feb 8, 2026
Rogelio Martinez, Long Beach mayoral candidate and activist, touts a viral call framing gangs as community organizers. Alexxander Medeiros, commentator and debater, pushes for legal clarity and questions inviting gang leaders to confront ICE. They spar over protest tactics, local vs federal authority, sanctuary practices, and whether immigration enforcement should be reshaped.
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Calling Gangs As Community Actors
- Rogelio described calling on local gangs because he views them as community members with historical roots in protection movements.
- He compared some gangs to the Black Panthers and Brown Berets who formed to defend their neighborhoods in the 1960s–70s.
Silence As Nonviolent Pressure
- Rogelio reframed 'force' as metaphorical, proposing a 60-minute silent rally to apply social pressure on ICE.
- He credited silence as a successful, nonviolent tactic that reportedly influenced ICE presence in Long Beach.
Story Of An Alleged ICE Seizure
- Rogelio recounted Jose Garcia being pulled from his car by unmarked SUVs and taken to a federal detention basement without a warrant.
- He said he later met and drove Garcia home after the man was released, calling the event a kidnapping without due process.