Illegal Immigrants Arrested for Vehicle Assaults on ICE Officers

Two undocumented immigrants have been apprehended for allegedly using their vehicles to threaten U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Recent incidents in Norwich and Bensenville have sparked protests outside ICE facilities, reflecting rising anti-ICE sentiment in the Chicago area.

“Fortunately, no law enforcement personnel were harmed during the recent attacks on our agencies. This situation, as it stands, is troubling. Illinois Governor Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Johnson, and similar sanctuary city leaders are vilifying ICE and encouraging illegal immigrants to defy law enforcement,” said DHS Deputy Chief Tricia McLaughlin in a recent commentary.

“Our ICE personnel are experiencing a staggering increase in assaults involving vehicles, with reports up by over 1000%,” she added. “Secretary [Kristi] Noem has made it clear—anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

Arrests Following Vehicle Attacks

Both attacks took place on Wednesday. In one instance, Miguel Escalino de Loera, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, allegedly rammed his car into an ICE officer’s vehicle not once, but twice. He reportedly then drove over a curb and crashed into a stop sign. Notably, he entered the U.S. without an immigration inspection at an unknown time or place.

In a separate incident, Widman Osberto Lopez-Funes, another undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, intentionally struck an ICE agent with his vehicle during a targeted attack before abandoning his car and fleeing to a residence in Bensenville, only to be arrested shortly thereafter, as stated by the department.

Both individuals entered the U.S. without proper inspections, DHS confirmed. “They remain in custody, facing imminent removal proceedings, while we also pursue criminal charges for assaulting law enforcement,” the statement noted.

Protests and Law Enforcement Responses

The situation has escalated tensions, with federal law enforcement using tear gas and pepper balls against protesters outside the ICE processing center in Broadview, Illinois, highlighting the ongoing clashes.

DHS had recently initiated Operation Midway Blitz aimed at addressing what they described as criminal elements among undocumented immigrants in Chicago and Illinois, a move they say responds to state leaders’ protective policies that allow these individuals to remain in the country.