The growing hostility toward federal immigration enforcement in Illinois reached a breaking point this week.
In two separate incidents, criminal illegal aliens weaponized their vehicles against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the Chicago metro area.
Both attacks came as ICE faces a staggering 1,000% increase in assaults nationwide—a surge federal officials directly link to the anti-ICE rhetoric of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
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The first assault occurred in Norridge, Illinois, when Miguel Escareno De Loera, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, rammed his vehicle into an ICE vehicle twice before jumping a curb and crashing into a stop sign.
Hours later in Bensenville, Widman Osberto Lopez-Funes, an illegal alien from Guatemala, rammed his car into ICE agents during a targeted enforcement operation. He then fled into his residence before being taken into custody.
Both men entered the United States unlawfully, without inspection by immigration officials, and now face charges for assaulting federal law enforcement.
These back-to-back assaults could easily have ended in tragedy.
“Thankfully, none of our law enforcement was killed because of these deranged criminals’ attacks,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
She drew a direct line between the violence and the political climate in Illinois: “This is exactly what happens when Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson, and other sanctuary politicians demonize ICE and encourage illegal aliens to resist law enforcement.”
The data backs her up. ICE reports that assaults on its officers have increased more than 1,000% in recent months, with criminals now weaponizing cars against agents carrying out lawful duties.
ICE reports assaults on its officers are up 1,000% in recent months—criminals are now using cars as weapons against agents.
When politicians normalize hostility to ICE, they embolden criminals to violence. Federal officers deserve support—not to be treated as targets.
— Gregory Lyakhov (@GregoryLyakhov) October 4, 2025
That rise coincides with an aggressive campaign by Democrat officials to undermine ICE through sanctuary policies, refusal to cooperate with detainer requests, and rhetoric that paints federal officers as villains rather than protectors of public safety.
ICE officers are sworn to uphold immigration laws and remove dangerous criminal aliens from American neighborhoods.
Yet they are increasingly treated as targets—both by those here illegally and by politicians who encourage defiance of federal authority.
When elected officials normalize hostility to ICE, they embolden criminals to act violently.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has made clear that anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
But prosecution after the fact does not change the fact that federal officers are being placed in grave danger simply for doing their jobs.
Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson may believe their sanctuary policies score them political points, but their words have consequences.
Demonizing law enforcement does not protect immigrant communities. It endangers officers, undermines the rule of law, and ultimately makes every American less safe.
