Todd Lyons Addresses Targeting of ICE Agents by Activists
Todd Lyons, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), recently stated that left-wing activists are directing their focus toward ICE agents and their families. In a video shared on X, he discussed how both ICE and the U.S. Secret Service have identified an activist who has been threatening the children of ICE officials online.
“If our goal is to keep our families and children safe, then, perhaps, wearing a mask is a reasonable option,” Lyons mentioned. He elaborated that they had made arrests related to this online activity where individuals were posting images and targeting the families of agents on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. “So, the question arises: is the real issue about someone being upset over a mask, or is it about labeling an ICE officer’s family as terrorists?” he queried.
Lyons also pointed out remarks made by Cynthia Gonzalez, Vice Mayor of Cudahy, California. In the video, she appeared to imply that a gang known as 18th Avenue should focus their attention on ICE agents instead. “You all tag everything and claim the hood, but now the biggest gang is invading your area, and there’s silence from you,” Gonzalez stated. “It’s not about gang life; it’s about those who protest.”
Moreover, it has been reported that the FBI is looking into Gonzalez’s comments regarding gang activities related to 18th Avenue.
In another segment, Lyons shared a TikTok video where activists called for violence against ICE agents. One activist stated, “You can kill them. This isn’t just social media influence anymore… this is about getting a gun and starting to kill ICE agents.”
“My office and my agents are here to enforce immigration laws. They are not secret police, nor Nazis,” Lyons asserted. “However, those behind their screens are demonizing them, exposing their identities, and inciting anti-ICE sentiment, ultimately putting their families at risk.”
Since the start of Donald Trump’s presidency, ICE agents have experienced a significant increase—about 500%—in assaults while performing their duties related to detaining and arresting undocumented individuals in the U.S.
