White House and Department of Homeland Security leaders report a significant rise in vehicle-ramming incidents targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement agents.
The department says nearly 100 vehicle attacks have occurred since Jan. 20.
That figure is more than double the number recorded during the same period last year. DHS administrators say the attacks pose serious dangers to federal officers and to the surrounding public.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the attacks remain a priority for federal investigators. She said anyone who targets law enforcement with a vehicle will face full prosecution.
McLaughlin praised the response of agents and said DHS personnel will continue carrying out enforcement operations.
Data released by the department shows 71 vehicle attacks against Customs and Border Protection since Jan. 20. Forty-five were recorded during the same period in 2024.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported 28 attacks this year, compared with two in the same period last year.
Recent cases cited by the department include a Nov. 13 incident in Adelphi, Maryland. Federal officials say illegal alien Ever Gabriel Alvarez Campos, who has pending criminal charges, was involved in a directed collision with an ICE vehicle before hitting a second car and attempting to flee. Officers later arrested him.
On Nov. 8, Border Patrol units conducting an operation in Chicago reported four separate vehicle-ramming attempts. Four suspects were arrested. One suspect was stopped by a tire- deflation device, and one suspect left the scene.
On Oct. 22, Border Patrol agents in Chicago reported three vehicle attacks. Several individuals taken into custody had prior criminal records.
On Oct. 14, Border Patrol agents in Chicago reported an incident in which an illegal alien struck agency vehicles and tried to flee. Officers used an authorized immobilization maneuver to stop the vehicle. The driver and a passenger were arrested.
On Oct. 2, two separate vehicle-ramming attempts against ICE officers near Chicago occurred in Bensenville and Norridge. DHS officials say both illegal alien suspects were taken into custody.
On Sept. 14, an ICE officer in Homestead, Florida, was injured when an illegal alien driver reversed into him during a traffic stop. The suspect struck several vehicles and entered oncoming traffic before colliding with a utility van. The driver and three other illegal aliens were arrested.
Using a vehicle to strike or attempt to strike a federal officer is a federal felony under Title 18 U.S. Code section 111(b).
When a vehicle is used as a dangerous weapon, the offense carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.
Prosecutors may also add charges for the attempted killing of a federal officer or destruction of government property, depending on the case.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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