According to DHS, the rising violence against ICE officers is linked to a ‘dangerously escalating pattern’ of attacks, including assaults, vehicle ramming, gunfire, and Molotov cocktail attacks. Some of these incidents resulted in serious injuries, including a law enforcement officer who suffered a lip laceration requiring 13 stitches and another who sustained a concussion during an arrest. The department described the attacks as an assault on the rule of law, stressing the importance of protecting law enforcement personnel who are tasked with enforcing federal immigration laws.
DHS has highlighted several recent incidents, including an attack in Homestead, Florida, where a Guatemalan national allegedly reversed his vehicle into an ICE officer, nearly crushing them. Another tragic incident occurred in July, when 10 individuals opened fire on federal officers at the Prairieland Detention Center, which was allegedly organized by Benjamin Hanil Song, a former Marine reservist. A third incident occurred in June when fugitive Eric Anthony Rodriguez attempted to attack officers with a Molotov cocktail at a hotel in Los Angeles, where 15 ICE and 12 CBP officers were staying. Rodriguez had a history of violent offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon and robbery convictions.
Taking a strong stance, Assistant Secretary McLaughlin called on political leaders to ‘tone down the rhetoric’ and recognize the bravery of law enforcement officers who ‘risk their lives to arrest pedophiles, rapists, murderers, gang members, and terrorists.’ She emphasized the need for sanctuary city officials to ‘thank these brave law enforcement officers’ and end any language that could incite further violence against them. The department also warned that any attack against law enforcement is an attack on the broader legal framework of the United States.