President Donald Trump’s second term has seen a sharp rise in attacks against federal immigration officers, highlighting the growing dangers they face while enforcing U.S. law across the country.
Newly released data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) underscores a surge in vehicle assaults and other forms of violence targeting ICE and CBP personnel.
Between January 21, 2025, and January 24, 2026, federal law enforcement officers experienced 182 incidents in which vehicles were deliberately used to strike officers or their vehicles during enforcement operations.
DHS officials said these attacks reflect a broader trend of increasingly aggressive behavior toward federal agents, which has escalated under policies and rhetoric that some argue encourage evasion of the law.
ICE officers were the targets of 68 vehicle-related assaults, up sharply from just two in the same period the previous year. CBP agents faced 114 incidents, more than twice the prior year’s total.
DHS officials said the numbers indicate not only a rise in violence but also a worsening environment for officers who risk their lives daily to enforce immigration laws.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized sanctuary-style policies and political messaging that, in her view, encourage resistance to federal enforcement.
“Sanctuary politicians with their rhetoric comparing ICE to the Nazi Gestapo, slave patrols, and the secret police and encouraging illegal aliens to evade arrest have incited violence against law enforcement,” she said in a statement.
McLaughlin also noted that vehicle attacks represent only a portion of the threat.
DHS reported physical assaults against officers have increased by more than 1,300 percent, while documented death threats have surged roughly 8,000 percent since Trump resumed office.
Officers continue to confront these dangers while apprehending individuals accused of serious crimes, including violent felonies and organized gang activity.
Multiple incidents nationwide illustrate the rising risk.
In June 2025, Border Patrol vehicles were rammed and vandalized in Bell and Maywood, California, as crowds gathered and caused additional damage before authorities intervened.
These events, officials said, demonstrate how enforcement efforts can quickly escalate when local policies protect criminal illegal aliens.
Other encounters involved direct threats to officers’ lives.
In Colorado Springs, suspects attempted to strike ICE agents with a vehicle during a targeted operation.
In San Bernardino, a driver struck two CBP officers before fleeing, prompting later federal intervention after local authorities initially released the suspect.
These incidents highlight the dangers posed when enforcement officers operate in areas influenced by sanctuary policies.
Additional assaults occurred in Florida, Arizona, and Illinois.
Officers were either struck by vehicles or forced to fire their weapons in self-defense as suspects accelerated toward them. DHS said many of the individuals involved had prior criminal histories or repeatedly evaded law enforcement.
One of the most recent cases occurred last month in Portland, where two suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates allegedly weaponized a vehicle against Border Patrol agents.
An agent discharged his weapon in self-defense, and both suspects were hospitalized. DHS continues to investigate the incident.
HHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized that rising attacks will not slow federal enforcement.
She warned that any assault on officers will result in full prosecution and reiterated that DHS and its partners will continue operations despite what officials describe as a growingly volatile and dangerous security environment nationwide.
