Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have experienced a dramatic and dangerous surge in assaults this year, with attacks rising more than 1,150% compared to the final year of the Biden administration, according to new data from the Department of Homeland Security.
According to the New York Post, nearly 250 assaults against ICE personnel have been recorded since President Donald Trump took office.
DHS officials say officers are facing an increasingly hostile environment marked by stalking, threats, online harassment, and violent confrontations — and they argue that political rhetoric is fueling the escalation.
“After months of Democrat politicians comparing ICE to Nazis, the Gestapo, slave patrols, and even encouraging illegal aliens to resist arrest, our brave ICE law enforcement have been assaulted 238 times,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
“Our law enforcement officers have had Molotov cocktails and rocks thrown at them, been shot at, had cars used as weapons against them, and been physically assaulted. Sanctuary politicians need to tone the rhetoric down before a law enforcement officer is killed,” she added.
The contrast with the prior year is stark. Between January 21 and November 21, under the Biden administration, just 19 assaults against ICE agents were reported. During the same span of time this year, DHS says that number has exploded to 238.
ICE officers have been attacked in a wide range of incidents — from being punched, spat on, and bitten during arrests to facing vehicle rammings, gunfire, and incendiary devices. DHS says the severity of the attacks reflects the heightened risk immigration authorities are now encountering nationwide.
Several high-profile incidents in Texas underscore the growing danger. In September, a gunman who had written “ANTI ICE” on his ammunition opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas, killing a migrant and injuring two others.
The same building received a bomb threat in August when a man entered claiming to have explosives in his backpack and displaying what he said was a detonation device.
On July 4, a group of 10 activists dressed in black “military-style” clothing launched fireworks at an ICE processing center south of Dallas.
When a police officer responded, one member of the group hiding in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck. Another individual reportedly fired “20–30 rounds” at unarmed correctional officers.
As DHS officials warn of rising risks to frontline officers, they argue that the political climate surrounding immigration enforcement has contributed to an atmosphere where attacks are increasingly common — and potentially deadly.
