An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent opened fire on a car Monday morning in Stafford Township, New Jersey, after the vehicle struck him during an attempted apprehension, local police said.
The ICE agent discharged his firearm at the car as it fled the scene, with at least one round striking the vehicle, according to a statement from Stafford Township police. The driver escaped and remained at large as of the incident report.
The agent sustained injuries of unknown severity. It was unclear whether the suspect or driver was wounded. Police said there was no threat to public safety following the incident, which occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Stafford Township officers were not participating in the ICE operation itself. Their role was limited to traffic control and scene security while the investigation proceeded.
The shooting came in the wake of Congress passing a $70 billion funding package for ICE and other Department of Homeland Security agencies, a legislative victory for the Trump administration's deportation agenda. The bill's passage ended a months-long standoff that had triggered the longest DHS shutdown in history, with Democrats seeking additional oversight measures after ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, during an operation in Minneapolis in January.
The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on the Stafford Township incident.
Author James Rodriguez: "This incident underscores how quickly enforcement actions can turn dangerous when suspects resist, and raises questions about whether clearer protocols are needed as ICE operations accelerate under the new funding."
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