Federal immigration agents have been involved in a surge of shootings under the Trump administration's expanded enforcement operations, with data showing 16 shootings out of 29 incidents as of 9 January, according to the non-profit newsroom the Trace.
The shootings have resulted in four deaths and seven injuries since July, when the first incident occurred. The most recent fatal shooting took place in Minneapolis on Wednesday, where a woman described by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar as a 'legal observer' of ICE activity was killed during a large-scale operation involving around 2,000 agents.
Just a day later, two people were shot outside a hospital in Portland by US Border Patrol agents, who claimed the driver of a vehicle they were searching tried to run them over. The Department of Homeland Security said one suspect was believed to be an undocumented immigrant linked to a Venezuelan gang.
Beyond shootings, the Trace documented 13 cases where agents used less-lethal weapons like rubber bullets or pepper balls, including incidents during protests where two pastors were injured. The data likely underestimates the true number, as many incidents are not publicly reported.
Detention levels have also surged, with ICE holding nearly 69,000 people, a nearly 50% increase in under a year. Over 352,000 individuals have been arrested, and deaths in custody have reached 32 in 2025, matching the record high set in 2004. The American Immigration Council attributes the rising toll to overcrowding, poor conditions, and medical neglect.
