A Senegalese national living in the U.S. illegally has been charged with assaulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and fellow detainees with a dangerous weapon, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Thursday.
The suspect, 29-year-old Bass Ndiaye, was taken into custody on July 17 and brought to a federal immigration processing facility in New York City. According to DHS officials, while awaiting processing, Ndiaye allegedly grabbed a pair of scissors and attempted to stab multiple ICE officers and roughly a dozen other detainees before being quickly subdued.
“This criminal illegal alien who was released into the country under President Biden will face justice for his violent crimes,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our ICE agents are facing an 830% increase in assaults — yet they continue to risk their lives every day to protect Americans.”
RELEASED UNDER BIDEN POLICY
DHS stated that Ndiaye entered the U.S. illegally in October 2023 and was arrested at the southern border. However, under the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policy, he was released into the interior of the country rather than detained or deported.
Ndiaye is now facing a federal charge of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon — a serious felony that could carry a significant prison sentence. The charges were brought by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton.
ICE OFFICERS UNDER ATTACK
The incident comes amid a surge in violence against ICE personnel. According to DHS data, assaults on ICE officers have skyrocketed by over 800% compared to the previous year. Officials say growing hostility fueled by anti-ICE rhetoric from left-wing politicians and media figures is putting agents’ lives in danger.
“This is a direct result of the lies, misinformation, and hateful narratives being pushed by the mainstream media and radical Democrats,” McLaughlin said. “Our officers are doing the work local officials refuse to do: removing violent offenders from American communities.”
DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS UNDER FIRE
DHS also pointed fingers at some congressional Democrats, accusing them of “doxxing” ICE personnel and even engaging in physical confrontations with agents during recent enforcement actions. “They’re not just obstructing enforcement — they’re endangering lives,” a DHS spokesperson said.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who has publicly stood with ICE since taking over the department, joined federal agents during an immigration raid in New York earlier this year. She has vowed to continue backing aggressive enforcement actions to remove criminal illegal aliens.
“ICE officers are under siege, and yet they continue to serve with honor,” Noem said previously. “We will not allow sanctuary politicians to endanger the American people any longer.”
Ndiaye remains in federal custody as he awaits trial.
