Death threats against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have surged by an alarming 8,000%, with assaults jumping more than 1,300%, the Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday, while also releasing a chilling voicemail targeting an agent and his family.
DHS said the spike in violence comes as ICE officers continue removing dangerous criminals from American communities.
DHS released the transcript of a voicemail left Jan. 24 for an ICE officer in Minnesota, calling it a disturbing example of what agents and their families now face.
"You're a f***ing fascist pig. You should f***ing kill yourself," the caller said.
The voicemail then turned to threats against the officer's family.
"I hope your wife dies. I hope your mom and dad die.
"I hope everything wrong that could go in your life happens," the caller said. "I hope you have the most miserable life."
The message escalated further, wishing catastrophic physical harm on the officer.
"I hope you get hit by a bus. I hope you're paralyzed, and your wife leaves you," the voicemail said.
The caller accused the officer of betraying the country and repeatedly urged him to take his own life.
"You are a traitor to the American people, to the values that made our country," the caller said. "You should kill yourself. You're f***ing disgusting."
The voicemail continued with graphic accusations aimed at ICE agents and leadership.
"I hate you. Everyone hates you. You're a f***ing murderer," the caller said. "All of your friends are f***ing murderers. Your bosses are a bunch of pedophiles."
The message ended with the words "Kill yourself."
DHS said the voicemail reflects a broader national pattern of threats and assaults targeting ICE personnel.
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, said ICE officers are under unprecedented attack while enforcing federal law.
"Our ICE law enforcement officers are now facing an 8,000% increase in death threats against them and a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them while they risk their lives every single day to remove murderers, pedophiles, rapists, terrorists, and gang members from American neighborhoods," McLaughlin said.
She placed blame squarely on political rhetoric coming from sanctuary jurisdictions.
"Make no mistake, threatening rhetoric and this unprecedented violence against our law enforcement is incited by sanctuary politicians through their repeated vilification and demonization of law enforcement," McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin warned that extreme comparisons have real-world consequences.
"Comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences," she said.
She emphasized that ICE agents are Americans with families who are now being targeted.
"The men and women of ICE are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters," McLaughlin said. "They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer."
"Like everyone else, we just want to go home to our families at night," she added.
McLaughlin called for an immediate end to what DHS described as the dehumanization of law enforcement.
"The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop," she said.
DHS added that ICE officers are frequently arresting violent offenders who were previously released into communities because of sanctuary policies.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem issued a blunt warning to those threatening or attacking ICE agents.
"You will not stop us or slow us down," Noem said, according to DHS.
ICE and its federal law enforcement partners will continue enforcing the law, the department said.
The department also warned that doxing ICE officers or their families will be prosecuted.
"And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer or dox our officers, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," DHS said.
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