Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were forced to open fire when a wanted illegal alien attempted to ram them with his vehicle during a targeted immigration enforcement operation in New Jersey on Thursday.
The incident took place in Morris County, New Jersey, located roughly 35 northwest of Newark. Agents were attempting to apprehend Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas, a Honduran national who had been ordered removed from the United States in 2021 following convictions for drug trafficking, drug possession, and driving under the influence, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
When approached by agents, Lopez-Banegas attempted to evade arrest by ramming his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and nearly striking an ICE officer. “In an attempt to evade arrest, Lopez-Banegas rammed into a law enforcement vehicle and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News.
The agent then opened fire and managed to shoot the vehicle’s tires out, a “defensive” response that was consistent with ICE training, DHS said.
Video footage of the incident shows a black Jeep Grand Cherokee colliding with unmarked law enforcement vehicles. The video also captured the moment the ICE agent, who was wearing a high-visibility yellow vest, fired his weapon.
Smoke can be seen emanating from the tires as the Jeep came to a halt. Lopez-Banegas then exited the vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident.
No injuries were reported among agents, the suspect, or bystanders, the DHS spokesperson said.
CHAOTIC ARREST: ICE says a Honduran criminal illegal immigrant rammed a law enforcement vehicle during an arrest attempt in New Jersey, prompting an agent to fire at the vehicle’s tires.
Authorities say the suspect later exited the vehicle and was taken into custody. No injuries… pic.twitter.com/rJZuQhWB00
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 12, 2026
The latest incident comes amid an unprecedented rise in attacks — many of which have been vehicle-based — targeting federal immigration agents since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last January.
Since January 20 of last year, there have been 182 reported vehicle attacks on DHS agents, including rammings, attempts to run over officers, and tire slashings, according to department data.
For ICE specifically, the number of vehicular attacks jumped from 2 in the comparable period the previous year to 68, representing a 3,300 percent increase. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) saw a similar spike with 114 incidents recorded, up from 51 in the prior period.
DHS has attributed the escalating violence largely to “sanctuary city” policies, which bar local law enforcement agencies and other city assets from cooperating with federal immigration agents. “Sanctuary politicians with their rhetoric comparing ICE to the Nazi Gestapo, slave patrols, and the secret police and encouraging illegal aliens to evade arrest have incited violence against law enforcement,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“We have seen more than 180 vehicle attacks against law enforcement since President Trump took office. In addition to these vehicle attacks, our officers are also facing a more than 1,300 percent increase in assaults against them and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats as they risk their lives to arrest murderers, pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and terrorists.”
