A video circulating online in July 2026 claims to show Black children protecting Latino neighbors from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. The footage depicts several young Black individuals using water balloons and water guns, as well as dumping water on a man in what appears to be a uniform and tactical vest.
Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Imgur, and X saw widespread sharing of the video, often accompanied by narratives suggesting the children were warning their Latino neighbors about ICE’s presence. Some posts claimed the incident occurred in New Jersey, while others pointed to Oklahoma.
While the video itself is not fabricated and does not appear to be digitally manipulated, the accompanying narrative is misleading. Investigations revealed that the man in the video was not an ICE officer, and there is no credible evidence to support the claim that he was targeting Latino neighbors.
The clip actually shows a water fight involving college-aged Black men and women at the Rams Edge apartment complex in Albany, Georgia. This complex provides off-campus housing for Albany State University, a historically Black institution.
An eyewitness identified the man as “off campus housing security” and stated that he was amused by the situation. This individual also shared an alternate angle of the event, referring to it as an apartment complex “water war” and labeling the rumor as “false information.”
Earlier posts of the video, dating back to March 2026, identified the man as a police or security guard, with no mention of ICE or immigration. The association with ICE appears to have emerged months later.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the individual in the video was not an ICE officer. The Albany Police Department also stated that the man was not one of their officers.
Reverse image searches of the video led to its identification as taking place at Rams Edge, which advertises “24/7 Onsite Security Patrol.” The man’s uniform, including a black polo shirt, also aligns with the appearance of university police officers. While the possibility of him being a university police officer exists, investigations into public records of the Albany State University Police Department showed their officers had responded to the complex for various incidents.
The earliest identified post described the incident as “Crowd was spotted dumping water on a security guard during outdoor party.” Subsequent posts in March, April, and May of 2026 continued to label the man as a “security officer” or “police officer,” without any reference to ICE.
Furthermore, the man’s uniform and vest lacked the distinctive markings, such as “POLICE” or “ICE” lettering, commonly seen on ICE officers. Although ICE officers can sometimes wear plainclothes or undercover attire, the visible elements of the man’s clothing did not indicate he was an ICE agent. The specific job title of the man remains unverified, and while his attire bore some resemblance to university police uniforms, his exact role could not be definitively determined.
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