As President Donald Trump works to clean up America’s long-standing problems with illegal immigration, the entrenched forces that brought us this mess are pushing back with predictably overheated rhetoric. While that type of response is nothing new, this attempt is so reckless that it may cost innocent people their lives.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported that attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have surged by nearly 700 percent in 2025. This alarming rise in violence is not a spontaneous phenomenon but a direct consequence of certain politicians and activists who have vilified ICE agents, painting them as villains rather than public servants.
ICE agents are simply doing their jobs to address a crisis exacerbated by the Biden Administration and sanctuary politicians. To encourage attacks on agents will do nothing to help the illegal aliens these advocates claim to care about. Such tactics will only embolden Trump, border czar Tom Homan and the rest of their team to increase their efforts.
Just this year, incidents have included an ICE officer being dragged 50 yards by a car during an arrest attempt and violent protests in cities like Los Angeles and New York, where rioters have attacked federal buildings and officers. These are not isolated events, but part of a broader pattern driven by a narrative that portrays ICE as a malevolent force rather than a law enforcement agency tasked with maintaining public safety and national security.
Politicians like House Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) have been at the forefront of this campaign, with Jeffries vowing to identify masked ICE agents “no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes,” and Goldman co-sponsoring the “No Secret Police Act” to ban face coverings for ICE agents. These efforts, framed as calls for transparency, ignore the very real threats of doxxing and retaliation that ICE agents and their families face.
The arrest of Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) for assaulting ICE agents during an attempt to interfere with an arrest at a Newark detention facility is another example of how this rhetoric translates into action. McIver, charged with two counts of assaulting and impeding federal officers, allegedly used physical force to obstruct agents during a confrontation involving Newark’s mayor. Such behavior sends a clear message to the public: resistance to immigration enforcement, even through violence, is permissible.
Adding fuel to this fire is the emergence of apps and community networks designed to warn illegal aliens of ICE activity. These tools, often shared through group chats and social media, provide real-time alerts about ICE raids, complete with descriptions of agents and their vehicles. While advocates may argue these networks protect vulnerable communities, they undermine the rule of law and will only serve to escalate tensions.
The root of this crisis lies in the policies of the Biden Administration and sanctuary city leaders who, for years, prioritized political posturing over border security. The Biden White House’s lax enforcement allowed millions of illegal crossings, overwhelming communities and straining public resources. Now, as ICE agents work to clean up this mess, they are met with hostility and violence.
The use of masks by ICE agents, which critics like Jeffries and Goldman decry, is a direct response to the doxxing and death threats they face. Agents wear masks to protect themselves and their families from being targeted online, a necessity in an era where personal information can be weaponized with a few clicks. Stripping agents of this protection, as Goldman’s legislation seeks to do, is not about accountability—it’s about exposing them to further danger.
This escalating hostility cannot continue without tragic consequences. Someone—whether an agent, a civilian, or a detainee—will likely get killed if this trajectory persists. Politicians who demonize ICE, push to unmask agents, or tacitly support tools that obstruct enforcement bear responsibility for this violence.
ICE agents are not the enemy, but public servants addressing a problem created by years of negligent policies and sanctuary city defiance. Instead of vilifying them, leaders like Jeffries, Goldman, and others should support their efforts to restore order and protect communities. It is time for these politicians to stop fanning the flames of division and start supporting the men and women who risk their lives to keep our nation safe. The alternative is a continued descent into lawlessness.
Dale L. Wilcox is executive director and general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration.
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