ICE Director Responds to Agents Being Labeled 'Terrorists'
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The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting chief has denied heavy-handedness on the part of his agents, who he says have been forced to wear masks after being "doxed" and branded "terrorists."
Doxing is an online attack that involves publishing someone's personal information and details online, often with the intent to intimidate or frighten the victim.
The agency's Acting Director Todd Lyons comments come in the wake of criticism by San Diego Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera, who branded ICE officers "terrorists" following a raid at an Italian restaurant in the Californian city last week. The operation turned chaotic as customers tried to prevent the sting, which took place during the Friday night dinner rush.
Newsweek has reached out by email to ICE and San Diego City Council seeking further comment.
Why It Matters
The furor comes amid a febrile debate across the U.S. about immigration, which President Donald Trump had made a cornerstone of his presidential election campaign.
When he took the keys to the White House for his second term in office, he kicked off with a dramatic series of immigration raids and also revealed his hopes to end the automatic birthright citizenship for the children born to parents who aren't citizens or lawful permanent residents in the U.S.
The subject has proved divisive as politicians across the political spectrum battle about the best way to deal with immigration issues, and Democrats have slammed Trump and highlighted various deportation cases they claim are miscarriages of justice.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent wearing a mask in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on May 7, 2025.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent wearing a mask in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on May 7, 2025.
Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
Lyons spoke at a news conference in Boston to announce nearly 1,500 arrests across Massachusetts in May as part of a "surge operation."
During the event, he addressed criticism of his officers, but suggested he was shocked that people were more upset about his agents wearing masks, than the fact they had been forced to hide their faces due to safety fears amid the threat of retaliation for doing their jobs.
He appeared visibly emotional as he said two weeks ago in Los Angeles that his agents were "doxed." He added: "People are out there taking photos, of their names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves."
His comments came after a backlash in the state last week, during a raid at the Buona Forchetta restaurant in San Diego. ICE officers swooped on four workers who were allegedly in the U.S. illegally. But the situation reportedly got out of hand when customers and witnesses surrounded their vehicles and tried to impede the operation. ICE agents deployed flash-bangs as smoke filled the air, and masked agents wearing tactical gear faced off against the crowd.
"Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect. What we saw undermines trust and creates fear in our community," San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said later.
What People Are Saying
San Diego Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera shared a photograph of ICE agents on his Instagram page, which had the word "TERRORISTS" scrawled in red across it.
He wrote a post alongside the image, saying: "Look at this photo. This isn't a war zone—it's a neighborhood in our city. In San Diego, they've targeted parents dropping off their kids at school, people following the law inside courthouses, and workers just doing their jobs at local restaurants.
"These are federal agents carrying out raids on under the false pretense of 'safety.' This isn't safety. It's state-sponsored terrorism. And anyone who cares about freedom—and true safety—should be fighting back."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons said: "I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is."
He went on to add: "Is that the issue here, that we're just upset about the masks? Or is anyone upset about the fact that ICE officers' families were labeled terrorists?"
What Happens Next
Lyons told Fox & Friends on Sunday that ICE was currently averaging around 1,600 arrests per day across the U.S. However, Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, says he wants to see that total reaching 3,000 arrests per day.
In the meantime, the debate looks set to continue as Trump pushes ahead with his crackdown.
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