The summer of 2025 has marked a dangerous turning point in America’s immigration enforcement landscape. What began as protests has devolved into coordinated attacks, ambushes, and targeted violence against federal agents carrying out their duties. The statistics paint a stark picture: ICE agents now face a 500% increase in assaults while conducting enforcement operations, with some reports indicating attacks on federal agents have surged by 700%.
A July 4th Ambush That Shocked the Nation
The violence reached a horrifying crescendo on Independence Day when 10 to 12 individuals dressed in black, military-style clothing launched a coordinated ambush on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. What authorities describe as a “planned attack” began with fireworks and graffiti but quickly escalated to gunfire. One local police officer was shot in the neck and hospitalized, though he has since been discharged and is expected to make a full recovery.
Ten individuals were ultimately charged with attempted murder of a federal officer, each facing three counts of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The brazenness of the attack—conducted on America’s birthday—sent shockwaves through law enforcement communities nationwide.
Just three days later, the violence continued in McAllen, Texas, where 27-year-old Ryan Luis Mosqueda opened fire at a Border Patrol facility with an assault rifle, firing dozens of rounds before being killed by federal agents. Two officers and a Border Patrol employee were injured in the attack. Mosqueda’s vehicle was reportedly spray-painted with “Cordis Die,” a reference from a video game, and authorities found “anti-government propaganda” including fliers stating “Organising for Attack! Insurrectionary Anarchy”.
The Daily Reality of Violence
These headline-grabbing incidents represent only the tip of the iceberg. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin revealed that “just this week, an ICE officer was dragged 50 yards by a car while arresting an illegal alien sex offender”. The attacks have become increasingly sophisticated and coordinated, with four individuals in Van Nuys using improvised devices to disable federal vehicles during operations.
In Los Angeles alone, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE officers, slashed tires, and defaced buildings and taxpayer-funded property. The attacks aren’t limited to officers on duty—family members of ICE agents are also being targeted and doxxed, forcing many to live in fear even when off the clock.
A Rare Voice of Democratic Support
Against this backdrop of escalating violence, one Democratic voice has broken ranks to defend the embattled agents. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania declared his full support for ICE, stating “ICE performs an important job for our country. Any calls to abolish ICE are inappropriate and outrageous”.
Fetterman’s statement represents a stunning departure from his party’s increasingly hostile stance toward immigration enforcement. “ICE agents are just doing their job,” he told Fox News, adding, “I fully support that”. The Pennsylvania senator’s comments drew praise from unexpected quarters, with President Trump himself saying “The new John Fetterman is exactly what you said. He’s right, he’s right”.
The bipartisan recognition of the problem came as Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, along with Representative Nancy Mace, expressed agreement with Fetterman’s comments, highlighting the rare moment of unity on an increasingly divisive issue.
The Political Rhetoric Fueling Violence
However, Fetterman’s voice remains an outlier in a Democratic Party that has increasingly demonized immigration enforcement. DHS officials directly blame “Democrat politicians like Hakeem Jeffries, Mayor Wu of Boston, Governor Tim Walz, and Mayor Bass of Los Angeles” for “contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE”.
The inflammatory rhetoric has been particularly stark. Representative Hakeem Jeffries implored people to “fight” the Trump Administration “in the streets” and declared ICE agents “will be unsuccessful” in protecting their identities “no matter what it takes”. Even more troubling, Governor Tim Walz smeared ICE agents as the “modern-day Gestapo,” while Boston Mayor Michelle Wu compared ICE agents to the neo-Nazi group NSC-131.
The dehumanizing language has reached extraordinary levels, with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saying ICE “should not exist” and Representative Stephen Lynch smearing ICE agents as “the Gestapo” and “nondescript thugs”. This rhetoric creates a climate where violence against federal agents becomes not just acceptable but morally justified in the minds of extremists.
The Conservative Response
Conservative voices have been quick to point out the dangerous double standard at play. As Laura Ingraham noted in her tweet, “When masked protesters swarm Harvard—no outrage. But a patriotic ICE agent wears one for safety? Suddenly it’s a scandal. That’s the Democrat double standard.”
The frustration among conservatives has grown as attacks intensify without adequate response from Democratic leaders. Social media influencer Mike Engleman captured this sentiment, asking “Again, I do not understand why ICE agents aren’t being allowed to use lethal force against these thugs who are attacking them, even shooting at them. Why?”
This sentiment reflects a broader concern that federal agents are being asked to enforce the law with one hand tied behind their backs, facing increasingly violent opposition while being constrained by political considerations that prioritize optics over officer safety.
