DALLAS — Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons announced Wednesday that all ICE facilities nationwide would be placed on higher alert after a gunman opened fire on a Dallas field office, killing one detainee and critically wounding two others.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as “an attack on ICE law enforcement.” While no ICE officers were injured, officials said the gunman targeted the facility and a transport van in the sallyport where detainees were struck.
Suspect Identified, Apparent Anti-ICE Motive
Authorities identified the shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn. He fired multiple rounds from a nearby rooftop before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to law enforcement officials.
The FBI confirmed it is investigating the case as “an act of targeted violence.” Special agent Joe Rothrock said ammunition recovered near Jahn contained anti-ICE messages. DHS released images of bullets engraved with “ANTI-ICE” and a photo of damage to an American flag display inside the building.
Victims and International Response
One detainee was killed and two others were critically wounded. Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that one of the injured is a Mexican national. DHS initially reported two deaths before revising its statement.
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Political Reactions
The attack drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum. Vice President JD Vance called the suspect a “left-wing extremist” who was “politically motivated to go after people who are enforcing our border.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the shooting was “motivated by hatred for ICE” and warned that inflammatory rhetoric had created dangerous conditions for officers.
President Donald Trump wrote on social media that the attack was “despicable,” accusing “Radical Leftists” of fueling violence against ICE. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed that sentiment, saying, “Violence is wrong, politically motivated violence is wrong.”
House Democratic leaders also condemned the shooting, thanking first responders and extending condolences to victims’ families. Their statement emphasized that “no one in America should be violently targeted, including our men and women in law enforcement who protect and serve our neighborhoods, and the immigrants who are too often the victims of dehumanizing rhetoric.”
Pattern of Attacks on ICE
The Dallas attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting ICE and border enforcement facilities. In July, a police officer was shot at an ICE detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, and a gunman opened fire at the entrance of the Border Patrol annex in McAllen.
DHS has reported a more than 1,000% increase in assaults on ICE officers amid heightened deportation operations.
Lyons said ICE facilities remain on “elevated alert status” nationwide as investigators work to determine whether the Dallas shooting is part of a broader trend of politically motivated violence.
