Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are now facing a staggering 500% increase in assaults during their operations to locate and arrest illegal immigrants, according to new data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained exclusively by Breitbart News.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of DHS, revealed the alarming figures, emphasizing the dangers law enforcement officers now face while carrying out their duties. “ICE agents are under increasing threat as they work to protect American citizens,” McLaughlin told Breitbart News.
A recent example of this surge in violence involved the arrest of Roberto Carlos Munoz, an illegal immigrant and convicted child sex offender. As ICE agents attempted to arrest him in Bloomington, Minnesota, Munoz tried to flee by dragging an officer 50 yards with his car. McLaughlin highlighted this incident to underscore the daily risks ICE agents face. “These men and women put their lives on the line every single day,” she added.
McLaughlin also took aim at certain Democratic politicians, accusing them of inflaming tensions and contributing to the rise in assaults on ICE agents. She specifically pointed to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. These leaders have made controversial statements about ICE, with Wu and Walz comparing the agency to Nazi forces, while Jeffries vowed to expose the identities of ICE agents involved in arrests.
Jeffries had previously said, “Every single ICE agent who is engaged in this aggressive overreach… will be identified, no matter how long it takes.” McLaughlin condemned this rhetoric, asserting that such statements are fueling violence against ICE officers. “This violent rhetoric is despicable,” she said, calling on politicians to stop vilifying the agency.
The situation has also led to legal challenges. Recently, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly interfering with ICE agents during an arrest in Newark, New Jersey. Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is investigating whether New York City Comptroller and Democrat mayoral candidate Brad Lander should face charges for allegedly assaulting an ICE agent during a similar incident.
With ICE agents increasingly under attack and political rhetoric intensifying, the situation has sparked a nationwide debate over the role of law enforcement in immigration enforcement and the safety of those who serve in these high-risk positions.
