Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A gunman opened fire on a group of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees outside a federal facility in Dallas early Wednesday morning, killing at least one person and injuring two others before taking his own life, officials said.
The attack occurred around 6:40 a.m. at an ICE field office located along Interstate 35 East, just southwest of Dallas Love Field Airport. The facility, which is often used for processing and transporting detainees, became the scene of chaos as gunfire rang out from an elevated position, targeting a transport van carrying migrants.
Dallas Police Department spokesperson Officer Jonathen Maner confirmed that one person was pronounced dead at the scene and two others were transported to Parkland Hospital with gunshot wounds. The victims were identified as ICE detainees. No law enforcement officers or facility employees were harmed.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as a “mass casualty event” and confirmed that there were “multiple injuries and fatalities.” She also acknowledged the recent rise in violence directed at federal immigration enforcement personnel.
“While we don’t yet know the motive, we know that ICE law enforcement is facing unprecedented violence,” Noem said in a statement posted on X. “It must stop. Please pray for the victims and their families.”
The gunman, described by sources as a white male, reportedly fired from the rooftop of a nearby immigration attorney’s office adjacent to the ICE building. He later turned the weapon on himself as officers approached. The shooter has not yet been publicly identified, and the motive remains under investigation.
The scene prompted a massive law enforcement response, with dozens of emergency vehicles converging on the area. Traffic on the nearby North Stemmons Freeway was brought to a standstill, and traffic cameras showed normally busy lanes completely empty.
Federal Response and Security Heightened
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons confirmed the shooting during a live interview with CNN, saying that the agency is still working to confirm the identities and statuses of the victims.
“It could be employees, it could be civilians visiting, or detainees. At this point, we’re still working through that,” Lyons said. In the meantime, ICE has placed all its facilities nationwide on heightened alert.
Homeland Security and federal law enforcement agencies are coordinating with local Dallas police to investigate the shooting, which has already raised broader concerns about targeted attacks on ICE and related agencies.
Rising Threats Against Immigration Facilities
Wednesday’s attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting immigration enforcement infrastructure in Texas.
- On July 4, attackers dressed in black tactical gear opened fire outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, injuring a police officer. At least 11 people were later arrested.
- Just days later, on July 7, a man armed with an assault rifle opened fire on federal agents leaving a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, injuring one officer. The shooter, Ryan Louis Mosqueda, was killed in a shootout with police. Investigators found other weapons and tactical gear in his vehicle.
- On August 25, a man named Bratton Dean Wilkinson was arrested after allegedly making a bomb threat at the Dallas ICE processing center. He reportedly claimed to have explosives in his backpack and displayed what he said was a detonator strapped to his wrist.
These events have drawn warnings from top federal officials and lawmakers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the latest attack “a direct assault on law enforcement,” adding that his office would “do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals.”
Vice President JD Vance echoed the sentiment, posting on X: “The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop. I’m praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families.”
Community Tensions and Political Fallout
The Dallas ICE facility has been a focal point for pro-immigration protests in recent months, with demonstrators decrying U.S. immigration policies and detention practices. Though the motive in Wednesday’s shooting remains unclear, officials are now examining whether the shooter had any known ideological affiliations or prior contact with law enforcement.
A formal press briefing is expected later in the day, as investigators continue to gather details and analyze surveillance footage.
