The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday that it has uncovered “credible intelligence” showing Mexican cartels have issued bounties on U.S. federal law enforcement officers and officials.
According to the DHS, cartel leaders are directing U.S.-based associates, including Chicago street gangs, to target Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents with harassment, surveillance, and even assassination attempts.
In a statement, the department said:
“These criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to U.S.-based sympathetics, including street gangs in Chicago, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents.”
Tiered Bounty System Exposed
Federal investigations reportedly revealed that cartels are advertising a “pay-for-violence” system.
Gathering personal data or doxxing federal officers could earn $2,000, physical assaults or kidnappings up to $10,000, and assassinations of senior officials as much as $50,000.
Authorities also discovered that Chicago gangs linked to the Latin Kings have positioned armed “spotters” on rooftops to track ICE and CBP officers.
They have been providing coordinates that already facilitated ambushes during recent enforcement actions.
The threats come amid Operation Midway Blitz, a large-scale ICE-led crackdown launched in September across Illinois and surrounding states to target criminal illegal immigrants.
DHS officials say cartel violence has escalated in direct response to the operation.
Clash With Illinois Leaders
Despite the mounting evidence of cartel-directed violence, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have attacked the Trump administration’s enforcement push.
The Democrat leaders are accusing federal officers of turning Chicago into a “war zone.”
Pritzker claimed ICE raids were terrorizing residents, telling CNN that agents were detaining “elderly people and children.”
Johnson escalated the feud by signing an executive order banning ICE from using any city-owned property in its operations.
Accusing federal agents of detaining officials and abusing protesters, Johnson said:
“We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights, nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority.”
President Donald Trump responded forcefully, calling for Pritzker and Johnson to be jailed for failing to protect federal officers.
Pritzker fired back, saying the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove Trump from office.
DHS Blames Antifa For Shielding Cartel Allies
The DHS further alleged that Antifa operatives have coordinated with cartel-linked groups by staging disruptive protests in Chicago and Portland, blocking deportation operations, and shielding violent offenders from arrest.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said:
“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities.
“We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”
The department urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious rooftop surveillance or organized disruptions of federal operations to its 24/7 tip line.
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