Arrest of Twin Brothers Over Threats Against DHS Official

Twin brothers from Absecon, New Jersey, were taken into custody on Tuesday for allegedly inciting violence against Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin, with demands for “shoot ICE on sight” among their social media posts.

McLaughlin, 31, is responsible for public affairs at the DHS.

The arrest of Ricardo Antonio Roman-Flores and Emilio Roman-Flores occurred during a coordinated operation between DHS and the local police SWAT team, following a home search and an arrest warrant execution.

Both individuals, who are U.S. citizens, are now held at the Absecon Police Department in New Jersey.

Emilio faces a range of charges, including unlawful possession of an assault weapon, conspiracy, making terroristic threats, and others. Ricardo is also charged with conspiracy related to the terroristic threats.

Social media activity from the twins explicitly called for McLaughlin to face horrific acts, even suggesting she be tortured in ways reminiscent of historical punishments. A now-removed tweet expressed, “We Americans should find you, tar you, feather you, and hang you, just like we did to those who served our tyrants before the Revolutionary War.”

McLaughlin remained composed after the threats, asserting, “Their threats won’t deter us. They won’t even slow us down.”

In addition to targeting McLaughlin, the twins threatened ICE agents, stating intentions to shoot them as soon as they saw them. The DHS shared an image of firearms and ammunition seized from the brothers but did not go into detail about the weaponry.

After the arrest, ICE Director Todd Lyons emphasized the need for immediate responses to such threats, which were made just days before their apprehension.

“Let this be a warning to those who dare to threaten or attack our brave law enforcement officers,” Lyons stated. “We will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

He also mentioned that policies in sanctuary cities and media narratives are contributing to an alarming rise in threats against DHS personnel, noting an “8,000 percent increase in death threats” since a major deportation initiative began under President Trump.