# US immigration enforcement and ICE officer safety

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-immigration-enforcement-and-ice-officer-safety
> Updated: 2026-09-29T00:55:21.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 2.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported a significant increase in violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin noted that between January 2025 and September 2026, there were 647 recorded attacks on agents, a sharp rise from 37 attacks during the same period under the previous administration. Mullin attributed this surge to sanctuary politicians and protesters who have used weapons and thrown objects during anti-ICE riots in cities such as Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston.

In response, DHS announced a surge in enforcement operations within sanctuary cities across California, New York, Illinois, and Washington. To support these efforts, ICE plans to hire approximately 5,000 new agents, primarily deportation officers, following a workforce expansion earlier this year. Border Czar Tom Homan announced that ICE will “surge resources and flood the zone” in sanctuary cities to increase its presence. While the department is prioritizing individuals with serious criminal backgrounds, it has denied rumors that it would stop detaining immigrants without criminal convictions, asserting that “anyone illegally in our country will be arrested and deported.”

The enforcement push has faced internal and external challenges. A perceived softening of enforcement policies reportedly caused tension between President Donald Trump and Secretary Mullin. Additionally, human rights groups have petitioned a United Nations panel, alleging that ICE’s decision to remove the names of over 16,000 detainees from its online locator system violates international law by obscuring their whereabouts from families and lawyers. The push follows a controversial incident in Austin, Texas, where a Venezuelan national, Wilber Rafael Perez, was shot while attempting to evade authorities.

## Claims

- President Trump expressed anger over perceived softening of immigration enforcement and directed it toward DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- ICE removed names of more than 16,000 detainees from its Online Detainee Locator System. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- DHS denied rumors that ICE would stop detaining immigrants without criminal convictions. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- ICE will surge resources and increase operations in sanctuary cities. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- ICE plans to hire up to 5,000 new agents to assist with deportations. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: ICE intensifies immigration enforcement and sanctuary city operations

DHS denies rumors of softened immigration enforcement, affirming that ICE will continue arresting all undocumented individuals. The agency also plans to surge resources in sanctuary cities and hire 5,000 new-a-

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dhs-denies-ice-policy-shift-amid-sanctuary-city-enforcement-surge

### 2026-09-24: DHS reports surge in assaults against ICE officers

DHS reports that assaults on ICE officers rose to 647 between January 2025 and September 2026, a massive increase from 37 during the previous administration, according to Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dhs-reports-surge-in-assaults-against-ice-officers

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Cite as: US immigration enforcement and ICE officer safety. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-immigration-enforcement-and-ice-officer-safety