US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has alleged that criminal gangs and cartels have placed bounties of up to $10,000 on the heads of immigration enforcement officers in Chicago. Speaking on Fox & Friends, Noem said intelligence indicated that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had been specifically targeted.
Noem claimed that bounties ranged from $2,000 for kidnapping to $10,000 for killing officers, with their photographs circulated among criminal networks. She attributed the threats to 'gangs', 'cartel members' and 'known terrorist organisations', but did not name any specific groups. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE have been asked for further details.
The claims come amid ongoing immigration raids in Chicago, ordered by President Donald Trump as part of his pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Federal agents have deployed drones and helicopters, conducting night-time raids on apartment buildings. The Trump administration has targeted Chicago for its 'sanctuary city' policies, which limit local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Protesters have clashed with agents, and Noem linked the demonstrations to the bounties, suggesting some protesters are 'paid' by organised crime. She cited an incident where agents were pursued by a 'caravan of 10 vehicles', resulting in a US citizen being shot after Border Patrol agents said they were rammed. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have opposed the raids.
Immigration advocates dispute the administration's claim that those detained are violent criminals or cartel members. Noem further argued that similarities in protesters' equipment—such as identical gas masks and signs—indicated external funding and organisation.
