The image is stark: an ICE agent, violently dragged by a vehicle during an enforcement operation. This isn't an isolated incident, but a chilling sign of a rapidly escalating threat facing federal law enforcement.
A surge in attacks against ICE agents has reached alarming levels. The Department of Homeland Security reports an astonishing 8,000 percent increase in death threats in 2025 compared to the previous year. Assaults, in all forms, have risen by a staggering 500 percent, painting a picture of growing hostility.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a stark warning: criminals, both those who entered the country illegally and U.S. citizens, are deliberately weaponizing vehicles against those sworn to uphold the law. This reckless tactic endangers not only officers but also innocent bystanders.
Through October 27th of this year, ICE has made approximately 278,000 administrative arrests. Combined with border arrests and removals conducted by CBP, total enforcement actions now exceed 520,000 – a significant undertaking in maintaining border security and enforcing immigration laws.
The number of deportations and removals has already surpassed 527,000, with projections exceeding 600,000 by year’s end. Furthermore, over 1.6 million individuals have chosen to self-deport, incentivized by programs offering assistance and streamlined removal processes.
While some reports frame current removal numbers as simply the highest in a decade, this comparison is misleading. Previous administrations often included border turnarounds in their deportation statistics. A clear assessment reveals that the current administration is achieving the highest number of actual removals from within the United States.
Despite the high volume of arrests and deportations, instances of excessive force by agents remain remarkably low. Only four documented cases involved agents discharging their firearms in 2025, and each instance was a direct response to a suspect using a vehicle as a weapon during an enforcement operation.
The pattern is disturbing. In Franklin Park, Illinois, an agent was dragged after Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez allegedly attempted to run them over. In Phoenix, Arizona, an SUV accelerated directly towards an officer, forcing a life-or-death decision and resulting in shots fired.
Los Angeles saw a similar incident where Carlitos Ricardo Parias allegedly rammed law enforcement vehicles while attempting to evade arrest. And in Chicago, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent fired after a woman allegedly rammed her car into a federal vehicle.
Beyond these shootings, DHS has documented two additional vehicle-assault incidents in Illinois where suspects attempted to use cars as weapons, though no shots were fired. These near misses underscore the constant danger faced by agents.
The statistics are undeniable. CBP has recorded ninety-nine vehicular attacks this year, a 58 percent increase from the forty-five reported during the same period last year. ICE has experienced an even more dramatic surge, with twenty-eight ramming incidents compared to just two last year – a 1,300 percent increase.
Recent cases highlight the severity of the threat. A Salvadoran criminal illegally present in the U.S. intentionally rammed an ICE vehicle, injuring others before fleeing. In Chicago, Border Patrol agents faced multiple ramming attempts in a single day, demonstrating a coordinated effort to obstruct law enforcement.
These attacks aren’t random acts of desperation. Many suspects have prior criminal records, including gang affiliations, firearm convictions, and DUIs. Others, illegally present from countries like Venezuela and Guatemala, have allegedly used their vehicles to assault agents and endanger the public.
