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Acting ICE director Todd Lyons blamed rhetoric from “elected officials” for the rise in attacks against immigration officers on Sunday.
Lyons made the comments during an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday, tying the increased violence to President Donald Trump’s political opponents.
“I think the sharp increase in the rhetoric, especially from a lot of elected officials, that are shaming, if you will, or speaking out against ICE law enforcement mission is what’s really increasing these attacks on officers,” he said.
Lyons noted that there has been an 830% increase in assaults on officers compared to 2024.
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Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents who plan their escape after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Blvd. in Bell, Califonia on June 19, 2025. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
He added that the spike in violence is also due to ICE officers being more “visible” in communities across the country as Trump’s deportation campaign expands.
“The immigration mission is one of the forefront of this administration, so there is a lot of scrutiny and publicity to it,” Lyons said.
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The official also confirmed that ICE is not limiting its arrests to illegal immigrants who have been convicted of a separate crime. He said many illegal immigrants without criminal records have been taken in as “collateral arrests” during operations targeting violent migrants.
Nevertheless, he added that ICE “targets the worst of the worst.”
ICE officers themselves have spoken out about the increased violence and criticism they have faced under the new administration.
“It has been very sad to see how we’re villainized, the names used towards us,” officer Kristian Moreno told “My View” host Lara Trump on Fox News this weekend.
“Just doing this [interview] right now, I had to talk to my family about it and say, ‘Hey, this is something that I believe in, something I think is important for us to get our stories out there and let the American public know we’re humans.’ We got a job to do. We’re just enforcing the law. We’re not making up the law, and it’s sad, but we just keep pushing through it,” he added.
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He and officers Edgardo Centeno and Chris Sandoval shared their perspectives on the violence ICE officers risk daily.
“We have to do our job. We raised our hands to defend the Constitution, and we’re enforcing the law, so we’re adjusting as we see what’s going on in our country, but it’s saddening my heart, especially when you serve in combat and come back and see your country so divided,” Centeno said.
