A War Hero’s Fight for Freedom at Home
When FBI agents showed up at Bajun Mavalwalla II’s door on his moving day, they didn’t just arrest a protester—they arrested an Afghanistan war veteran with top-secret clearance who had risked his life for America. Now, legal experts warn his federal conspiracy charges represent a dangerous escalation in attacks on our constitutional rights to peaceful protest.
The 35-year-old former Army sergeant faces up to six years in prison for participating in a June protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Spokane, Washington. Unlike other protesters charged with assault or obstruction, Mavalwalla faces the broader “conspiracy to impede officers” charge—a move experts say signals the Trump administration’s willingness to stretch federal law to silence dissent.
From Combat Zone to Courtroom
Mavalwalla’s story reads like an American dream turned nightmare. The crypto-linguist survived roadside bombs in Afghanistan while serving in special operations. After completing his military service, he used his GI Bill to earn a degree in sustainable communities from Sonoma State University.
“Here’s a guy who held a top secret clearance and was privy to some of the most sensitive information we have, who served in a combat zone,” said retired Colonel Kenneth Koop, who trained Afghan military and police during Mavalwalla’s deployment. “To see him treated like this really sticks in my craw.”
The veteran was preparing to move into a 3,000-square-foot home with his girlfriend, a nurse and fellow Afghanistan veteran, when the FBI arrived at 6 a.m. on July 15. Cell phone footage shows the handcuffed veteran expressing disbelief as agents force him into a black pickup truck.
“This is not how I planned to spend my moving day,” Mavalwalla said in the video. “I’m a military veteran. I’m an American citizen.”
A Family Legacy of Peaceful Resistance
The charges carry extra sting given Mavalwalla’s family history. His great-great grand-uncle, Parsee Rustomjee, worked alongside Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa during the legendary non-violent revolution against British imperialism. The families were so close that Gandhi served as godfather to Mavalwalla’s great-grandmother.
After Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, pieces of his burial shroud were distributed to closest confidants—including members of Mavalwalla’s family. His mother still holds this sacred relic today.
Three days after the June protest, Mavalwalla’s mother texted him: “Channel your inner Gandhi.”
“I know, mom,” he replied. “Always non-violence.”
The Protest That Changed Everything
The June 11 demonstration began with a social media post from former Spokane city council president Ben Stuckart, who wrote: “I am going to sit in front of the bus. Feel free to join me.” The target was an ICE transport carrying two Venezuelan immigrants who were legally in the country seeking asylum.
While the protest turned confrontational—with a government van’s windshield smashed and tires slashed—Mavalwalla wasn’t among the two dozen people arrested that day. Instead, the FBI waited more than a month to charge him with conspiracy.
Video evidence shows Mavalwalla briefly jostling with a masked officer before linking arms with other demonstrators to block a gate. Unlike his co-defendants charged with assault or obstruction, prosecutors focused on proving Mavalwalla agreed to work with others to impede officers.
A Test Case for Constitutional Rights
Legal experts view Mavalwalla’s case as a dangerous precedent for free speech rights. Federal conspiracy charges require only proving defendants agreed to act together—not that they committed specific violent acts.
“Federal conspiracy charges are a wondrous thing,” said Bruce Antkowiak, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania. “It is a vast net which you can use to catch a bunch of people.”
The timing raises additional concerns. The indictment came two days after career prosecutor Richard Barker resigned as acting U.S. attorney for eastern Washington. In his farewell post, Barker wrote: “I am grateful that I never had to sign an indictment or file a brief that I didn’t believe in.”
His replacement, Pete Serrano, is a Trump nominee with no prosecutorial experience who previously worked for the Silent Majority Foundation, a conservative advocacy group. Serrano has called January 6 Capitol rioters “political prisoners” and filed briefs supporting Trump’s unconstitutional efforts to end birthright citizenship.
The Broader Immigration Crackdown
Mavalwalla’s arrest fits a pattern of escalating enforcement under the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. ICE aims to conduct 3,000 deportations daily, accompanied by military-style raids that have resulted in hundreds of arrests—including U.S. citizens and veterans.
“He’s a test case to see how far they can go,” said Luis Miranda, former chief spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security under President Joe Biden.
The strategy appears designed to intimidate protesters who might interfere with ICE operations. As Stanford law professor Jennifer Chacón explained: “You could view this as an attempt to send a message to everyone who feels a sense of justice and moral outrage over ICE raids—you could face prosecution, too.”
From Rescuing Afghans to Defending Asylum Seekers
Mavalwalla’s humanitarian work adds context to his protest involvement. After the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, he used connections from his security clearance to help rescue Afghan allies. He located safe houses for 20 members of one Afghan family and dozens of other civilians, helping them secure travel documents and raising $130,000 for expenses.
“It was hard,” said Erin Piper, a Michigan church leader who sought Mavalwalla’s help. “But Mavalwalla was patient.”
In text messages during the evacuation, he reminded Piper to care for herself: “It does no good for us to neglect those right in front of us. You cannot save the world. It’s good to try though.”
Selective Prosecution Concerns
Mavalwalla’s father, retired Army intelligence officer Bajun Ray Mavalwalla, believes his son was racially profiled. The elder Mavalwalla, who earned three Bronze Stars during Iraq and Afghanistan tours, suspects federal authorities fixated on the protester “with a funny name.”
“It seems like what we have here is an issue of selective prosecution,” said Robert Chang, a law professor at UC Irvine, warning of a “chilling effect on free speech under the First Amendment.”
The timing of prosecutorial changes adds weight to these concerns. Career prosecutors typically exercise discretion with broad conspiracy statutes, but political appointees may have different priorities.
A Constitutional Crisis in the Making
Mavalwalla’s case represents more than one veteran’s legal troubles—it’s a stress test for American democratic values. When the government uses federal conspiracy laws to prosecute peaceful protesters, especially those who served our country, we must ask: What kind of democracy are we becoming?
The maximum penalty—six years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and three years supervised release—seems designed to intimidate rather than seek justice. Mavalwalla, who has no criminal record, was released on his own recognizance and even allowed to visit Disneyland with his family while awaiting trial.
But the message is clear: Challenge ICE operations, and face federal prosecution.
The Stakes for American Democracy
This case arrives as immigration enforcement reaches unprecedented levels. Federal agents conduct raids with military equipment while courts issue restraining orders against indiscriminate arrests. The deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles for immigration operations—half of whom have since been withdrawn—shows the administration’s militaristic approach.
Legal experts warn that expanding conspiracy prosecutions against protesters could criminalize legitimate dissent. If peaceful demonstration becomes “conspiracy,” what protections remain for citizens who oppose government actions?
What This Means for You
Mavalwalla’s prosecution should concern every American, regardless of immigration views. Today’s protest crackdown could easily target tomorrow’s cause—environmental activism, abortion rights, gun control, or any issue that sparks passionate resistance.
The veteran’s commanding officer, retired Colonel Charles Hancock, captured this concern in a Facebook post calling Mavalwalla “honest, direct, polite and very trustworthy” while expressing deep worry about “the current state of affairs in our country.”
When war heroes face federal prison for peaceful protest, our democracy is in crisis.
Call to Action: Defending Democracy Together
Bajun Mavalwalla II’s case represents a crossroads for American democracy. We can allow the expansion of federal conspiracy prosecutions to silence peaceful dissent, or we can stand up for constitutional rights that veterans like Mavalwalla fought to defend.
Contact your representatives. Demand answers about selective prosecution. Support organizations defending First Amendment rights. Most importantly, stay informed and engaged—because today’s assault on protest rights could affect any cause you care about tomorrow.
The real conspiracy isn’t against federal officers—it’s against the constitutional principles that make America worth defending.
