Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continue to defend the use of masked, unidentified agents in immigration operations by pointing to a dramatic increase in assaults on officers. But newly released data raises questions about both the scale and context of those claims.
On Tuesday, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin posted on X that DHS informed him assaults on ICE agents have surged by 690% compared to the same period last year. Between January 21 and June 30 of this year, there were 79 reported assaults—up from just 10 in the same timeframe in 2024.
This marked the first time raw numbers were shared; previous statements from ICE had relied solely on percentages without specific figures. While that increase sounds alarming, it’s worth noting the relatively small numbers involved and how they compare to broader law enforcement statistics.
For instance, between January and May, the NYPD—which has roughly 15,000 more officers than ICE—recorded 970 assaults on uniformed officers. Criminal justice journalist Jessica Pishko called ICE’s stats “uniquely unimpressive” when considered alongside the sheer rise in immigration enforcement activity under the Trump administration.
Indeed, ICE’s increased presence has come with more aggressive tactics that many experts say are escalating already-tense situations. According to USA Today, some of the strategies being used mirror outdated practices that most U.S. police departments have abandoned, potentially putting agents—and the public—at greater risk.
Diane Goldstein, a retired law enforcement official, told USA Today that ICE’s leadership is “directly putting them in a horrific situation.” Former ICE acting director John Sandweg similarly warned that arrests resembling abductions—carried out by masked agents with no visible identification—can lead to confusion, panic, and dangerous confrontations with bystanders.
There’s also concern about what exactly qualifies as an “assault” in ICE’s reporting. The agency has faced criticism for making dubious claims, including the recent arrest of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who was charged with “assaulting law enforcement” during a protest. Washington Post columnist Philip Bump compared ICE’s framing of the incident to “a bully accusing his victim of getting in the way of his fist.”
As ICE and DHS continue to expand operations—and defend their tactics by pointing to rising risks—critics argue that the agencies should also be scrutinized for how those risks are defined, reported, and, in some cases, manufactured.
