U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a man the agency says used his vehicle as a weapon during a targeted stop in San Antonio — allegedly ramming two ICE vehicles and nearly striking an officer.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Cuban national Robyn Argote Brooks was boxed in by agents’ vehicles in a parking lot when he defied commands and abruptly reversed, narrowly missing an agent and hitting a federal SUV. DHS said he then tried to push through by accelerating into the larger vehicle, before speeding forward into a second ICE vehicle — a sedan — as agents attempted to stop him.
The footage of the incident shows the driver continuing to accelerate as officers move in. The confrontation ends when an agent breaks through the driver’s window and pulls him from the car to make the arrest. DHS said the incident happened Tuesday amid heightened concerns about violent interference with federal immigration enforcement actions.
DHS said ICE personnel are facing a sharp rise in vehicle-related attacks. The agency reported that from Jan. 21, 2025, to Jan. 7, 2026, ICE officers experienced 66 “vehicular attacks,” compared with two over the same period the previous year — a figure DHS described as a 3,200% increase.
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said one officer involved in Tuesday’s incident was injured. “We are praying for him, his health and his family,” she said.
McLaughlin blamed pro-sanctuary politicians, arguing their rhetoric and policies have contributed to a hostile environment. “They have created an environment that incites violence against our law enforcement,” she said, adding that agents are also facing a “more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them.”
McLaughlin also warned that those who attack officers will face prosecution. “Secretary Noem has been clear: Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said.
DHS said Brooks entered the U.S. in 2024 using the Biden administration’s CBP One app, which the agency criticized as a program that “allowed over a million unvetted aliens into the country.” DHS said Brooks remains in ICE custody.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said Tuesday that immigration agents are dealing with “constant impediments” and “constant attacks,” and argued that public statements encouraging interference with ICE operations can escalate confrontations.
“When we hear elected officials calling upon individuals to impede or obstruct ICE law enforcement operations nationwide, you’re going to see incidents like this,” Lyons said. “You saw the officers and agents attempting to apprehend a criminally illegal alien, and there they are using their car as a weapon.”
Lyons said an agent later went to the hospital with neck injuries. “Every day, this is what the men and women of ICE are facing,” he said. “It’s constant impediments, constant attacks like this. And it’s not safe for my folks, it’s not safe for the public. It really needs to stop.”
