Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said Monday that the families—and even children—of ICE agents are being targeted by activists opposed to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
In a video posted to ICE’s official X account, Lyons defended his agency’s officers and agents, emphasizing that they are not villains but law enforcement professionals carrying out the law.
“My officers are not secret police. They are not Nazis. They are enforcing immigration law,” said Lyons. “But people hiding behind keyboards are dehumanizing them, doxxing them, spreading hate, and endangering the lives of these officers and their families.”
According to Lyons, the hostility toward ICE has escalated to dangerous levels, with a surge in doxxing incidents—publicly posting agents’ personal information online, including photos of their children and links to their family members’ social media profiles.
One incident cited in the video involved a now-deleted TikTok post calling for people to “get a gun and start killing ICE agents.” Another clip featured Cudahy, California, Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez seemingly encouraging Los Angeles street gangs to organize against ICE raids. The FBI is reportedly investigating her deleted social media post urging gang members to “protect their hoods” from ICE.
“Wouldn’t you wear a mask if it meant keeping your kids safe?” Lyons asked, responding to criticism of agents wearing face coverings during enforcement operations. “We ran a joint operation with the Secret Service where we arrested someone who was posting photos of our agents and targeting their children online.”
Democrats and progressive activists have sharply criticized Trump’s mass deportation strategy, particularly the increasing number of ICE raids and the use of masks and tactical gear by officers. But Lyons argued the criticism has taken a dangerous turn.
“Is the real issue the masks,” he said, “or is it that ICE officers’ families are being labeled as terrorists by people who want to incite violence?”
According to a June 20 press release from the Department of Homeland Security, assaults on ICE agents have increased by 500% during recent enforcement actions. DHS also confirmed that the families of several ICE officers have been targeted and doxxed.
“Those who target our agents or their families will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the DHS statement read.
