“Offensive Driving”: ICE’s Deadly Weaponization of Vehicles Against Civilians

ICE's use of unmarked vehicles against civilians has emerged as a deadly extension of the Trump administration's aggressive crackdown on immigrants. In a series of incidents across Texas, California, and Woodland, California, ICE agents have used their vehicles as weapons, ramming, braking, and even driving into civilians. These tactics, known as "offensive driving techniques," have resulted in severe injuries and even fatalities.

In one case, Miguel Parra Hernandez, a Mexican national, was struck by an unmarked ICE vehicle while fleeing on foot in a parking lot in Texas. Another victim, Ricardo Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen, was hit by an ICE vehicle speeding the wrong way down a one-way street in Long Beach, California. In Woodland, California, Antonio Moreida was struck by an unmarked ICE vehicle while documenting one while standing in the street.

Despite these incidents, the Department of Homeland Security maintains that civilians "weaponized" their vehicles against federal agents, a claim that has not been substantiated by criminal charges or witness accounts. Instead, the evidence points to ICE agents weaponizing their vehicles against civilians. The Intercept reviewed two dozen cases of such incidents, highlighting the alarming trend of federal agents using their vehicles as blunt instruments in immigration enforcement.

ICE has implemented some training changes, including additional crowd control measures and high-risk vehicle stop training. However, critics argue that these measures do not address the root issue: the department's unchecked use of force. The agency's heavy-handed tactics have become a brutal and lethal tool in its arsenal, raising serious concerns about the safety and rights of immigrant communities and civilians in the United States.