A U.S. Marshal and an illegal immigrant were wounded Tuesday morning during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Los Angeles, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Both are expected to survive.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsmax that the situation is developing and "information is preliminary."
"During a targeted enforcement traffic stop in the Los Angeles area, an illegal alien — who had previously escaped from custody — attempted to evade arrest yet again," McLaughlin said. "ICE law enforcement officers, assisted by U.S. Marshals, pulled the illegal alien over in a standard law enforcement procedure. The illegal alien weaponized his vehicle and began ramming the law enforcement vehicle in an attempt to flee.
"Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers followed their training and fired defensive shots. The illegal alien was shot in the elbow, and one law enforcement officer was shot in the hand by a ricochet bullet. Both are in the hospital."
McLaughlin linked the incident to what she called escalating hostility toward federal officers. She blamed "sanctuary politicians" such as Democrat Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dan Goldman of New York, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom for providing resources and tips for how to openly defy ICE.
"Resisting arrest puts the safety of illegal aliens, law enforcement, and the public at risk," McLaughlin said. "Our law enforcement officers are facing a more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them, including vehicle rammings by illegal aliens. We are once again calling on sanctuary politicians, agitators, and the media to turn the temperature down and stop calling for violence and resistance against ICE law enforcement."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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