Three individuals known as the “Spokane 3” were convicted on federal conspiracy charges related to protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Washington state. The protesters—Jac Archer, Justice Forral, and Bajun Mavalwalla II—were involved in efforts to stop federal officers from transporting two detained immigrants from Spokane to Tacoma in June 2025, according to KUOW.
These demonstrations were prompted by a call on social media from former Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart. He called for supporters to block the transfer bus, as he was a sponsor for one of the immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. Many demonstrators responded to his request.
In a related incident, Stuckart was arrested with nine others on conspiracy charges. KUOW reports that Stuckart and five others accepted plea deals that resulted in reduced sentences.
After the verdict, Washington state Representative Natasha Hill criticized Stuckart’s absence during the trial. She urged him to follow through on his promises. Stuckart later explained on Facebook that attending the trial would have breached the terms of his parole. He expressed his regret over the verdict and supported both those who took plea deals and those who stood trial.
“You started this and you couldn’t even show up to finish it,” Hill remarked.
The case brought attention to the actions of federal agents detaining protesters at anti-ICE events. These incidents continue to ignite discussions about immigration enforcement policies.
Bajun Mavalwalla Sr., the father of one of the convicted protesters and a congressional candidate, remarked on the motives behind the prosecution. He argued that the government aimed to intimidate citizens from protesting immigration policies.
“The right to protest, the right to dissent, the right to assemble—all of those things are now in question because of this case,” Mavalwalla Sr. said.
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