The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that Mexican criminal organizations, working in coordination with “domestic extremist groups,” have placed targeted bounties on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel in Chicago.
According to DHS, the criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to US-based sympathizers, including street gangs in the city, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents.Officials described two major tactics being used. In neighborhoods such as Pilsen and Little Village, gang members tied to groups like the Latin Kings have established “spotter networks,” positioning armed lookouts on rooftops to track ICE and CBP movements in real time.
The surveillance reportedly allowed for ambushes and disruptions of recent enforcement operations, including those under Operation Midway Blitz.
DHS also revealed a “tiered bounty system” distributed by Mexican cartels to incentivize violence against federal personnel. The bounties reportedly include $2,000 for gathering intelligence or doxxing agents, $5,000 to $10,000 for kidnappings or non-lethal assaults, and up to $50,000 for assassinating high-ranking officials.
“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,” said Secretary Kristi Noem in a public statement. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”
The revelation of these bounties in Chicago comes amid the legal battle regarding the deployment of National Guard troops in the city. Last week, a district judge temporarily blocked the deployment of troops into Illinois. The judge argued that deployment of the National Guard is likely to lead to civil unrest.”
