Acting ICE Director Says Agents Face 'Constant Impediments' After Suspect Rams Cars While Fleeing

Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons on Tuesday said federal immigration officers are encountering "constant impediments" and repeated attacks after video circulated showing a suspected undocumented migrant ramming vehicles while attempting to flee custody in San Antonio.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons argued that federal immigration agents are facing "constant impediments" and "constant attacks."

Video Shows Vehicle Striking Parked Cars During Arrest Attempt

Footage from the scene appears to show a car striking other vehicles that had boxed it in from the front and rear as the occupant tried to evade arrest. Lyons said one ICE agent sought medical attention for neck injuries after his vehicle was struck during the incident.

New video shows a migrant in a car ramming into vehicles that were blocking them in from the front and the back, as the individual attempted to evade arrest.

Lyons: Rhetoric And Organized Obstruction Are Contributing Factors

Speaking on Fox News' "Hannity," Lyons suggested that public rhetoric from some elected officials encouraging obstruction of ICE operations can contribute to confrontations like the one in San Antonio. He described the person in the car as a "criminally illegal alien" and said agents were placed in danger when the vehicle was used "as a weapon."

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said one of the agents went to a hospital with neck injuries after their vehicle was struck in the incident.

"Every day, this is what the men and women of ICE are facing," Lyons said. "It's constant impediments, constant attacks like this. And it's not safe for my folks, it's not safe for the public. It really needs to stop."

Allegations Of Organized Interference And Ongoing Investigations

Lyons also alleged that criminal gangs have organized groups to impede immigration enforcement operations. He acknowledged a constitutional right to protest but argued that coordinating groups to obstruct law enforcement is a criminal act and said Homeland Security investigations and the FBI are looking into such incidents.

Context: Local Prosecution Policies And A Controversial Minnesota Shooting

The remarks came as Lyons defended ICE agents in response to statements by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who said he would prosecute any ICE officer who committed unlawful acts during operations while exempting "honest, decent, moral" agents from that threat. Lyons countered that his agents are enforcing the law and urged prosecutors to focus on crimes committed by individuals released under sanctuary policies.

Lyons' comments also referenced a separate, high-profile case in Minnesota in which Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by a masked ICE agent identified as Jonathan Ross. Authorities say Ross fired into the driver's windshield and through an open window; video later showed Ross shouting an expletive as the vehicle crashed into a parked car. The shooting has prompted widespread debate, with Democrats and local residents calling for prosecution and many officials and Republican lawmakers defending the agent's actions as justified.

Public Reaction And Next Steps

The San Antonio incident has intensified tensions over immigration enforcement, local prosecutorial policies and border-related rhetoric. Lyons urged swift action to prevent organized obstruction from spreading, while critics stress the need for independent investigations and accountability when use of force is involved. Federal and local authorities continue to review the San Antonio encounter and related incidents.