Ice threatens federal assault charges against anyone who attacks its officers

"US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) warned Tuesday that assaulting its officers constitutes a federal crime punishable by felony charges. Anyone regardless of immigration status who assaults an ICE officer WILL face federal felony assault charges and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, the agency posted on X. Embedded in the post was an image that read think before you resist with a clenched fist."

"The post represents a direct public threat of prosecution, and the broad language could allow prosecutors to pursue federal assault charges for actions that would traditionally be classified as resisting arrest or even protest activities. But the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanded its definition of threats to include filming Ice operations. Kristi Noem, the DHS secretary, defined violence in July as anything that threatens [DHS agents] and their safety. It is doxing them. It is videotaping them where they're at."

"One example of that has been the case of Spanish-language, Georgia-based journalist Mario Guevara, who was detained for more than two months after he filmed enforcement operations, despite his attorneys saying he had legal work authorization. The message also follows the DHS's claims in August that attacks on Ice officers have increased by 1,000%, though when pressed for examples, officials told the Prospect that incidents included trash dumped on an agent's lawn and a profanity-laden sign targeting an agent by name."

ICE declared that assaulting its officers constitutes a federal crime punishable by felony charges and warned that anyone who assaults an ICE officer will face federal felony assault charges and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. DHS has broadened its definition of threats to include filming operations, doxing, and videotaping agents. The DHS secretary defined violence as anything that threatens agents and their safety. Cases include a detained journalist who filmed enforcement despite claimed work authorization. DHS reported a sharp rise in alleged attacks, and federal prosecutors have filed assault charges against multiple protesters.

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