Assaults on ICE officers surge by 690% year over year as Trump advances sweeping border and deportation policies.

Federal Agents Face Record Attacks Amid Heated Immigration Debate

Assaults against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting a nearly 700% increase compared to the same period last year. From January 21 to June 30, DHS documented 79 assault incidents involving ICE and other federal agents engaged in immigration enforcement, up from just 10 incidents during the same period in 2023. Officials caution that the actual total may be even higher, given the fast pace of ongoing enforcement actions and potential delays in reporting.

The surge in violence was underscored by several high-profile cases in recent weeks. In late June, ICE agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers staying at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport narrowly escaped injury when a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the building. DHS identified the suspect, Eric Anthony Rodriguez, as a repeat offender with a long criminal record, including violent assaults and parole violations. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the attack, attributing it in part to “dangerous rhetoric by sanctuary politicians” that she said encourages violence against law enforcement.

Other recent attacks included an attempted murder charge against a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member in Nebraska, who allegedly assaulted a federal agent during a traffic stop. The agent was reportedly thrown into the air and later placed in a chokehold before officers intervened. In Minnesota, a convicted child sex offender and undocumented immigrant was accused of dragging an ICE officer 50 yards with his car while attempting to flee arrest. “This illegal alien has been committing violent crimes in the U.S. for nearly 15 years,” McLaughlin said, criticizing state officials for failing to cooperate with federal enforcement.

Trump’s Border Plan Advances as Lawmakers Eye Historic Deportation Effort

The dramatic rise in assaults comes as President Donald Trump intensifies his push for a historic expansion of federal immigration enforcement. On Tuesday, Trump traveled to “Alligator Alcatraz,” a newly completed detention facility on a remote airstrip in the Florida Everglades, which can house up to 5,000 detainees. “This is not a nice business,” Trump told reporters, describing the scale of his planned deportation operation.

Meanwhile, Congress is moving closer to passing Trump’s signature “big, beautiful bill,” a sweeping border and national security package that would allocate roughly $350 billion for immigration enforcement. The bill’s provisions include $46 billion for construction of a border wall, $45 billion to increase migrant detention capacity to 100,000 beds, and funds to hire 10,000 new ICE officers with $10,000 signing bonuses. The Homeland Security secretary would also have access to a new $10 billion fund to reward states that cooperate with federal deportation efforts.

Trump’s goal is to enable the deportation of up to one million people annually, fulfilling a central campaign promise. Supporters argue the investments are necessary to restore law and order, while critics warn that escalating enforcement and political rhetoric are contributing to unrest and violence.

As assaults on federal officers hit record levels and new policies are debated in Congress, the future of U.S. immigration enforcement hangs in the balance. The outcome will shape not only the safety of law enforcement personnel but also the nation’s approach to border security and immigration policy for years to come.