ICE praised the “best of the best” of its agents who it said rescued crash and shooting victims despite what the agency says was a dramatic rise in assaults, death threats and political attacks.
After a year in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically increased its operations under President Donald Trump and simultaneously faced an increase in attacks against officials, the agency is highlighting the “best of the best” agents for particularly heroic actions in the line of duty.
In a Friday statement, ICE said that “despite the obstacles they face, including record numbers of violent anti-ICE rioters assaulting law enforcement, terrorist attacks, and bounties placed on their heads, our courageous officers have proven their commitment to upholding the rule of law in the United States and making America safe again.”
According to the agency, agents faced an increase of 1,347 percent in assaults and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against them. ICE blamed these increases on “lies and smears from sanctuary politicians and radical activists, and hoaxes spread by the media.”
“Despite that, their heroic efforts have led to historic results, helping DHS remove more than 622,000 illegal aliens”, ICE said, noting that tens of thousands of those removals were of criminal offenders, including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, terrorists and gang members.
“That, coupled with more than 2 million illegal aliens who chose to self-deport, has created a cycle that benefits the American public”, the agency said, adding, “As ICE continues to remove more illegal aliens, more illegal aliens wisely choose to self-deport and avoid arrest.
