Federal prosecutor tells parents to warn their kids about anti-ICE behavior

Parents are supposed to talk to their kids about drugs, sex — and now ICE?

A U.S. attorney issued a stark warning Friday urging parents to do just that, saying some young people are taking their protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement too far.

Ryan Kriesghauser, the chief federal prosecutor in Kansas, said his state has seen a growing number of incidents where people — youths in particular — were overly aggressive as they’ve tracked and confronted ICE personnel.

“Increasingly, some of those following agents in potential reckless or criminal manner are young people, an age group that is generally more impressionable and more likely than older adults to act rashly when swept up with emotions,” he said in a lengthy statement.

He added: “We encourage parents to have discussions with their children about what forms of conduct are appropriate as they exercise their constitutional right to freedom of speech so that they do not commit federal crimes.”

The caution came after a Feb. 14 incident where ICE personnel were trying to track down a deportation target in Olathe, outside of Kansas City.

Local media reported on the incident, showing video of 19-year-old Brian Nataren, a U.S. citizen, being handcuffed and pinned to the pavement.

He and his brother Brandon told the media they were on their way to Walmart, heard ICE was in the area and tried to avoid them. They claimed an ICE officer tried to strike them with a vehicle, and they managed to get out of the way.

The officer then ordered them out at gunpoint.

But Mr. Kriesghauser told a different story.

He said the two were tracking ICE and “using their vehicle in an exceedingly aggressive manner.”

ICE officers determined that the license plate for the vehicle was “associated” with a previously deported person and made a stop, but the driver turned out to be Mr. Nataren.

Mr. Kriesghauser said his office reviewed the stop and concluded that the driver — Mr. Nataren — admitted he was following the agents, “screaming” at them, then drove recklessly to the point that he almost struck the agent.

The prosecutor said his office decided not to bring charges “at this time, given the specific circumstances.”