ICE Chief Confirms Cartels and Gangs Are Placing Bounties on Agents’ Heads [WATCH]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons said Monday that ICE agents are facing an “uptick” in threats from drug cartels and extremist groups following a series of violent incidents targeting federal law enforcement offices across multiple states.

During an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” Lyons addressed recent attacks on ICE facilities and personnel, including riots in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, and a fatal shooting at an ICE field office in Dallas on September 24.

The Dallas attack left two people dead after the gunman opened fire before taking his own life.

Authorities have also confirmed two additional shooting incidents involving ICE or Border Patrol facilities in Texas since July 4.

Ten suspects have been charged with attempted murder in one of those cases.

Lyons reacted to reports that Chicago police officers were instructed not to assist ICE agents who were ambushed during a violent confrontation Saturday.

According to federal officials, approximately 30 to 40 Border Patrol agents were surrounded and attacked by rioters outside an ICE facility in Chicago.

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“It is sad. All law enforcement will respond to any other brother or sister in law enforcement that’s in need,” Lyons said.

“That’s what didn’t happen here in Chicago. You had 30 or 40 border patrol agents who were being swarmed, pinned in and attacked. You have a domestic terrorist that was doxxing agents and officers. She had a firearm in the vehicle, they had to return fire, yet officers of the Chicago PD are told to stand down.”

A story in three parts:

Pritzker calls DHS report on people boxing in and ramming federal vehicles “propaganda”

Duckworth says DHS is “lying” about people boxing in and ramming federal vehicles

24 hrs later: CPD Sup demands people stop boxing in and ramming federal vehicles pic.twitter.com/mO39u0cw7F

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Lyons criticized the lack of local response, calling it a concerning reflection of the city’s approach to cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

“It shows where we are with the sad state of law enforcement in Illinois is the fact that you had other federal officers under attack, yet because of politics and the way people feel about immigration enforcement, they did not aid federal law enforcement officers,” Lyons said.

Videos circulating online from one of the riots in Chicago reportedly show participants calling for ICE agents to be “arrested or shot.”

The violent rhetoric, combined with recent assaults, has intensified concern within ICE leadership about officer safety and the broader escalation of hostility toward federal law enforcement.

Fox News co-host Lawrence Jones asked Lyons about reports that cartels and affiliated gangs have placed “bounties” on ICE officers and senior leadership.

Lyons confirmed that the agency has received credible intelligence about such threats.

“We are, yeah. I can’t really get into it because of criminal intelligence in some of the cases we’re working,” Lyons said.

“But we have seen an uptick in actual bounties, photos of agents and agency leadership being targets of attacks by gangs and cartels. It really just has to stop.”

Federal officials said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is aware of the threats and has been coordinating with other law enforcement agencies to strengthen protective measures for personnel and facilities.

DHS leadership has also briefed Congress on the emerging risk posed by cartel networks targeting immigration enforcement operations.

Lyons emphasized that ICE agents are enforcing laws passed by Congress, despite growing political backlash in some jurisdictions.

“Again, all the men and women of ICE are doing is going out there, and enacting the laws Congress has written. It is a law enforcement mission we do every day, we’ve been doing it for decades,” Lyons said.

“Yet right now, the men and women of ICE are in the cross hairs of some of the most extreme leftist terrorists.”

ICE officials have not released additional details about the ongoing criminal investigations related to the threats and attacks.

Federal law enforcement agencies continue to assess security conditions around ICE offices nationwide as political and cartel-related tensions increase.