A man was taken into federal custody on Saturday after ramming his car into immigration agents and biting one officer during an enforcement operation in Minnesota, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
During the incident in Saint Paul on December 21, one Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fired their service weapon in a defensive action after being struck by the man’s vehicle; no bystanders were injured by the gunfire, DHS said.
Officers identified the suspect as Juan Carlos Rodrigues Romero, a Cuban national who entered the United States in 2024 through the CBP One app, according to DHS.
Why It Matters
The incident illustrates the potential risks in federal law enforcement operations when suspects do not comply with orders. Reports of violent incidents, assaults and vehicle ramming against federal agents have increased. Meanwhile, agents have faced allegations of misconduct as the government races to deport millions of migrants without legal status.
What To Know
Romero did not comply with officers’ orders and drove off, striking one agent in the process, DHS said.
During a brief pursuit, Romero’s vehicle collided with multiple parked cars and another ICE vehicle, per DHS. He then drove to his apartment complex, struck another ICE vehicle, exited his car and attempted to flee on foot. Officers pursued and subdued him after he resisted arrest and bit one of the officers, the agency said.
Two ICE officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to a hospital for evaluation, according to DHS.
The Saint Paul Police Department said officers were called to the 1300 block of Westminster Street on a report of shots fired and found that a federal agent was involved in a use-of-force incident.
Saint Paul police officers were not involved in the arrest or the use-of-force incident, the department said.
Romero was also transported for medical evaluation and remains in ICE custody pending additional charges, according to DHS.
Between January 20 and November 18, there have been 99 vehicle attacks against federal law enforcement, more than double the 47 attacks reported during the same period last year, DHS said.
There have been 71 vehicular attacks against Customs and Border Protection compared to 45 in the same period in 2024, a 58 percent increase, per DHS. There have been 28 vehicular attacks against ICE, compared to two during the same period in 2024, representing a 1,300 percent increase, the agency said.
What People Are Saying
The Saint Paul Police Department said in statement on X: “The federal agent sustained non-life threatening injuries in the incident. The suspect was not injured and was taken into custody by federal agents.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement wrote on X: “After a pursuit, he attempted to flee on foot and was eventually subdued, all while resisting arrest and biting an officer during the process.”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a November news release: “We are seeing the results of the Left’s constant demonization of the men and women of law enforcement. Dangerous criminals—whether they be illegal aliens or U.S. citizens—are turning their vehicles into weapons to attack ICE and CBP.”
What Happens Next
Inquiries into the incident remain ongoing.
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