A chilling surge of hatred is engulfing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, with death threats skyrocketing by an astonishing 8,000%. These men and women, tasked with the dangerous job of deporting individuals accused of heinous crimes, now face an unprecedented level of personal risk.
The threats aren’t empty words; they include bounties placed on officers’ lives, terrifying threats against their families, relentless stalking, and the malicious exposure of their personal information online – a practice known as doxxing. This escalating violence is fueled by increasingly inflammatory rhetoric, particularly comparisons to the Nazi Gestapo.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin delivered a stark warning: ICE law enforcement is confronting an unimaginable increase in threats while bravely carrying out their duty to remove those accused of the most serious offenses. The safety of these officers and their families is now gravely compromised.
The threats are shockingly explicit. One individual, posting on TikTok, openly solicited for murderers, offering a reward for the killing of ICE agents. The desperation and malice are palpable in these digital calls for violence.
The impact extends beyond online threats, reaching into the homes of ICE officers. One officer’s spouse in Texas received a venomous phone call, laced with threats of deportation for their children and chilling allusions to the fate of Nazis after World War II. The caller’s intent was clear: to instill fear and terror.
Voicemails left for ICE employees reveal a disturbing level of animosity, with threats to expose officers and their families to public harassment. The sheer volume and intensity of these attacks are unprecedented, creating a climate of constant fear.
In Washington state, an individual publicly vowed to monitor, track, and report ICE agents, labeling them with hateful and historically charged terms. This deliberate attempt to disrupt their work and intimidate them highlights the organized nature of some of the harassment.
Recent arrests offer a glimpse into the dark underbelly of this escalating hostility. One man was apprehended after a months-long campaign of online death threats, urging others to “shoot the ICE Nazis down.” His messages were direct, violent, and deeply disturbing.
Homeland Security officials are resolute in their commitment to protecting their officers and enforcing the law. They have made it clear that any attack on law enforcement will be met with the full force of the legal system. The message is unequivocal: violence will not be tolerated.
The Department of Homeland Security is urging the public to report any instances of doxxing or harassment targeting ICE officers. A dedicated hotline and online tip form have been established to gather information and assist in protecting these vulnerable individuals.
