A shocking sniper attack rocked a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, early Wednesday morning, leaving one immigrant detainee dead and two others critically injured. The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, fired indiscriminately from a nearby rooftop, targeting a transport van at the facility’s secured entryway. Jahn died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after the assault, which authorities are investigating as an act of domestic terrorism driven by anti-ICE sentiment.
The attack occurred at 6:40 a.m. at the ICE Dallas Field Office on North Stemmons Freeway, a short-term processing center for recently arrested immigrants. Bullets struck both the facility building and a van holding detainees, killing one and wounding two others, one of whom is a confirmed Mexican national. Initial reports from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) incorrectly cited two deaths but were later corrected. No ICE agents or law enforcement personnel were harmed. The FBI and Dallas Police Department swiftly secured the scene, confirming no ongoing threat to the public.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the attack as a “targeted act of violence” with a clear “ideological motive.” Investigators recovered unspent shell casings near Jahn’s body, marked with “ANTI-ICE” in black marker, pointing to his opposition to the agency’s immigration enforcement activities. Jahn, a Texas-Oklahoma resident and registered independent voter, had a minor criminal history involving a marijuana delivery charge from a decade ago. His family told authorities they were unaware of any strong anti-ICE views.
The incident has ignited a firestorm of political reactions, amplifying tensions over immigration policy in the U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the attack, blaming “Deranged Radical Leftists” and “radical left Democrats” for fueling anti-ICE rhetoric. He announced plans for an executive order to dismantle “Domestic Terrorism Networks” like ANTIFA, which he linked to the attack without specific evidence. Vice President JD Vance called the shooting an “obsessive attack on law enforcement,” while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem labeled it “unprecedented violence” against ICE. Texas Senator Ted Cruz urged an end to inflammatory comparisons of ICE to “Nazis,” a reference to rhetoric from some progressive activists.
This attack marks the fourth reported assault or threat on ICE or Border Patrol facilities in Texas this year, following incidents in McAllen and Alvarado. It comes just two weeks after the sniper assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, raising fears of escalating political violence. Conservative outlets like Breitbart pointed fingers at figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett for anti-ICE statements they claim incite such acts. Meanwhile, Latino advocacy groups expressed alarm over the immigrant community’s growing sense of vulnerability amid aggressive deportation policies under the second Trump administration, which has significantly increased ICE funding.
Public opinion of ICE has plummeted in 2025, with protests intensifying over mass deportations. Some X users speculated, without evidence, that the “ANTI-ICE” engravings were fabricated by the FBI, reflecting deep mistrust in official narratives. The FBI’s Dallas Special Agent Joe Rothrock called the attack “coordinated,” suggesting it fits a broader pattern of targeted violence against federal immigration facilities.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities have not released a manifesto or further details on Jahn’s motives. The names of the victims remain undisclosed pending family notifications. The public is urged to avoid the area around the ICE facility as law enforcement continues its work. For updates, follow official statements from the FBI, DHS, or Dallas Police Department. Americans are left grappling with yet another violent flashpoint in the nation’s polarized immigration debate.