---
title: "ICE officer assaults rose 1,649% in 20 months, DHS reports"
publication: "MediaBias News"
url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-officer-assaults-rose-1649-in-20-months-dhs-reports"
api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/ice-officer-assaults-rose-1649-in-20-months-dhs-reports"
markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ice-officer-assaults-rose-1649-in-20-months-dhs-reports.md"
audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/ice-officer-assaults-rose-1649-in-20-months-dhs-reports"
category: "Politics"
area: "United States"
published: "2026-09-24T22:45:44.253Z"
source_reported: "2026-09-24T21:19:50.000Z"
updated: "2026-09-24T22:45:44.253Z"
trust_score: 60
critic_score: 60
hype_score: 60
assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis"
fact_check_status: "not-performed"
coverage_measured: "2026-09-24T23:30:38.236726+00:00"
---

# ICE officer assaults rose 1,649% in 20 months, DHS reports

*Department of Homeland Security data shows a sharp increase in attacks on immigration enforcement officers.*

**Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): 

- Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to DHS, with specific figures and dates provided.
- Craft 60 of 100, higher is better. Reporting includes quotes from officials and details on specific incidents.
- Hype 60 of 100, lower is better. Headline uses 'skyrocket' and 'slam' which are strong, attention-grabbing words.

Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology.

**The short version**

- Assaults against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers rose by 1,649% from January 2025 to September 2026, the Department of Homeland Security reported.
- The DHS recorded 647 assaults during that period, compared to 37 assaults under the Biden administration from January 2021 to September 2022.
- DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed the increase on "sanctuary politicians" and "vicious lies."
- The agency cited elected officials accusing ICE of terrorizing communities and some lawmakers calling for the agency's abolition.

Assaults against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers increased by 1,649% between January 2025 and September 2026, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency reported 647 assaults against ICE personnel during this period. This compares to 37 assaults recorded under the Biden administration from January 2021 to September 2022.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the increase in assaults was fueled by opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies and attributed the rise to "sanctuary politicians" and "vicious lies." The DHS provided examples of elected officials who have accused ICE of terrorizing communities and threatening public safety. Some lawmakers have called for the agency's abolition, with others comparing it to "the SS" and "the Gestapo."

The DHS also cited specific incidents, including an event in July 2025 where anti-ICE protesters opened fire on officers at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, wounding one officer. In June 2025, a member of the Tren de Aragua gang was accused of assaulting an ICE agent in Bellevue, Nebraska, during an attempted arrest, resulting in serious injuries to the agent.

## Coverage comparison

## What the coverage left out

None of the right-rated reports mention the specific date of the DHS report or any potential methodology behind the data collection. The full reports from Democratic Accent and Fox News included details about an illegal immigrant arrested in October 2025 for allegedly posting a TikTok video soliciting the murder of ICE personnel, and the sentencing of eight suspects tied to the Prairieland Detention Center shooting, but did not provide further details on the charges or convictions of individuals arrested by ICE that the agency cited as examples of those with criminal records.

## Who covered it

Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating:

- Left: 0% (0)
- Centre: 0% (0)
- Right: 100% (6)

0 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-24T23:30:38.236726+00:00.

**Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-25T00:15:36.944Z.

## How the sides framed it

### Left

No separate framing summary.

### Centre

No separate framing summary.

### Right

- The right-rated reports led with the increase in assaults against ICE officers and Secretary Mullin's statements blaming "sanctuary politicians" and "vicious lies." The full reports from Democratic Accent and Fox News detailed specific incidents, including the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center and the assault in Nebraska. Both outlets quoted Secretary Mullin extensively, including his call for sanctuary politicians to "stop attacking federal law enforcement" and to "start working with us to make America safe again." They also highlighted comparisons made by some lawmakers between ICE and "the SS" and "the Gestapo," and quoted Representative Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, likening the agency to "slave patrols."

**Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding.

## Factuality profile of the covering outlets

These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true.

- low: 1
- mixed: 5

## Verification scope

This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true.

## Original reporting this was written from

- [[your]NEWS](https://yournews.com/2026/09/24/7205784/dhs-reports-1647-rise-in-assaults-on-ice-agents-as) — DHS Reports 1,647% Rise in Assaults on ICE Agents as Mullin Targets Sanctuary Policies
- [nytimespost.com](https://nytimespost.com/exclusive-dhs-secretary-mullin-slams-sanctuary-politicians-as-attacks-on-ice-officers-skyrocket) — EXCLUSIVE: DHS Secretary Mullin slams sanctuary politicians as attacks on ICE officers skyrocket - NEW YORK TIMES POST
- [democraticaccent.com](https://democraticaccent.com/exclusive-dhs-secretary-mullin-slams-sanctuary-politicians-as-attacks-on-ice-officers-skyrocket) — EXCLUSIVE: DHS Secretary Mullin slams sanctuary politicians as attacks on ICE officers skyrocket – Democratic Accent
- [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/09/24/exclusive-dhs-secretary-mullin-slams-sanctuary-politicians-as-attacks-on-ice-officers-skyrocket) — EXCLUSIVE: DHS Secretary Mullin slams sanctuary politicians as attacks on ICE officers skyrocket
- [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-dhs-secretary-mullin-slams-sanctuary-politicians-attacks-ice-officers-skyrocket) — DHS Secretary Mullin slams sanctuary politicians as attacks on ICE officers skyrocket
- [Just the News](https://justthenews.com/government/security/dhs-mullin-slam-sanctuary-politicians-attacks-ice-officers-skyrocket-under) — DHS, Mullin slam sanctuary politicians as attacks on ICE officers skyrocket under Trump admin

## Questions

**How much did assaults on ICE officers increase?**

Assaults against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers increased by 1,649% between January 2025 and September 2026. The Department of Homeland Security recorded 647 such assaults during that period.

**Who did DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin blame for the increase in assaults?**

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed "sanctuary politicians" and "vicious lies" for the increase in assaults against ICE officers. He called on these officials to stop attacking federal law enforcement.

**What specific incidents were mentioned?**

The Department of Homeland Security cited an incident in July 2025 where anti-ICE protesters opened fire on officers at the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas, wounding one officer. Another incident involved the alleged assault of an ICE agent in Nebraska in June 2025.

---

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