A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer suffered serious injuries during an arrest operation in Houston on Monday. The officer was struck in the face with a metal coffee cup while attempting to apprehend a suspect. The incident resulted in a deep laceration that required 13 stitches, alongside multiple burns to the officer’s face.
Incident Details
The attacker, identified as Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, is a Salvadoran national who has been deported from the U.S. twice—first in June 2013 and again in February 2020. He has a criminal record that includes convictions for sexual assault of a minor, child fondling, and multiple DUIs. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Perez reentered the U.S. illegally at an undetermined time and location. He is currently in ICE custody.
Escalating Threats Against ICE Officers
DHS has reported a staggering 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE officers as of October. This spike in threats reflects a concerning trend of online harassment and violent rhetoric against agents and their families. Details surrounding the increase in death threats remain sparse.
- Recent incidents include threats made to an ICE officer’s spouse.
- A threatening voicemail warned of doxing ICE agents.
In a separate case last month, an individual named Eduardo Aguilar was arrested in Dallas for allegedly soliciting the murder of ICE officers via TikTok.
Nationwide Surge in Violence
Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino, highlighted the rising violence against federal agents throughout the country. He noted that attacks on ICE and Border Patrol agents by U.S. citizens have become more common. Bovino emphasized that any attack on federal officers will lead to an arrest.
Transnational criminal organizations have gone as far as issuing bounties on federal officers. For example, the Latin Kings gang in Chicago has reportedly placed a bounty on federal law enforcement personnel.
Federal Oversight and Response
A federal judge is currently reviewing the tactics employed by federal agents in “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago. This operation has drawn scrutiny due to the use of riot control measures against various groups, including protesters and journalists. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized the attacks on immigration officers, asserting the necessity of ensuring their safety.
Intelligence Updates
On October 1, the FBI and DHS released a joint intelligence bulletin warning of an increase in violent attacks against ICE facilities and personnel by domestic extremists. The report noted that such extremists have carried out premeditated violent acts in at least three states since June.
One particularly violent incident involved a gunman who opened fire from a rooftop at a Dallas ICE facility, resulting in the death of one detainee and severe injuries to two others. Authorities later linked this shooting to ideologically motivated violence against ICE.
Noem reiterated that assaults on federal officers will face strict legal consequences. The DHS has established a dedicated tip line and an online portal for reporting harassment and threats against its personnel.
