A surge in violent threats and attacks against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has led to dozens of arrests nationwide in the past two weeks. High-profile arrests in Texas, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. illustrate what ICE officials say is a growing and dangerous trend fueled by anti-law enforcement rhetoric.
In Texas, authorities captured Benjamin Hanil Song, a former Marine Corps reservist accused of helping orchestrate a July 4 ambush at an ICE detention center near Dallas. Song was the 14th arrest linked to the plot and faces three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and weapons charges. He was wanted for aiding terrorism and engaging in organized crime.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the spike in attacks—up more than 830% in the first half of 2025 compared to last year—is directly linked to political rhetoric. “It’s horrifying that dangerous rhetoric, often spread by elected officials, has brought us to this point,” he said, warning that violence against agents will result in aggressive prosecution.
In Ohio, Cincinnati resident Anthony Marcus Kelly was arrested for making multiple online threats to murder ICE officers. Using aliases on social media, he called for violence against ICE and other public officials, prompting federal charges for threats against government agents. Officials said his posts included direct references to executing officers and dismissing the judicial system entirely.
Lyons called Kelly’s threats “terrorism,” not protest, and said the escalating hostility is a result of misinformation and politically charged narratives. HSI Detroit’s Jared Murphey emphasized that targeting law enforcement is not protected speech and added that ICE agents are enforcing laws passed by Congress.
In Washington, D.C., Sydney Lori Reid was arrested after she allegedly assaulted ICE agents transferring a gang member at the city’s central detention facility. Officials say her interference put officers at risk and could have allowed dangerous criminals to escape custody.
ICE officials are urging accountability and support for law enforcement officers who are facing increasing danger. “Anyone who targets ICE personnel will be met with swift, unrelenting justice,” Lyons said.
