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EXCLUSIVE — Federal law enforcement officials suspect that the bounties targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago are sourced from Mexico, with local gangs actively attempting to carry out these assassinations.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed internal details from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to the Washington Examiner on Thursday, indicating that gangs in the southwest neighborhoods of Chicago have been offered bounties ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 for each ICE employee killed.
According to the DEA report, “Gangs in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods have ‘spotters’ stationed on building rooftops, armed with guns, monitoring law enforcement activity in those areas. Communication is conducted via radio.”
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin stated earlier this week that “bounties” are being offered for the deaths of ICE officers and agents.
The latest DHS disclosure to the Washington Examiner further notes that “allegedly, bounties and instructions were directed from Mexico.”
Specifically, the bounties are set at $5,000 for any agent or officer, $10,000 for those in leadership roles, and $50,000 for high-ranking officials, as per the DEA report.
Last week, DHS announced the arrest of Latin Kings gang member Juan Espinoza Martinez, who allegedly placed a “hit” on Gregory Bovino, the head of Border Patrol’s Chicago operations.
ICYMI: The feds arrested a man who put a $10,000 bounty on the head of the top Border Patrol agent in Chicago: @CMDROpAtLargeCA Greg Bovino
Turns out, he was a Latin Kings gang member. Screenshots of Snapchat conversation reveal a $10K reward “if you take him down.” pic.twitter.com/A40tx5juNL
https://twitter.com/CMDROpAtLargeCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) October 7, 2025
Recently, the Trump administration deployed ICE and Border Patrol to Chicago for immigration enforcement targeting individuals without legal status in the U.S.
Prior to the arrival of federal forces in early fall, the Washington Examiner reported that Chicago police had refused to hand over over 1,550 (92%) illegal immigrants in local jails due to the city’s “sanctuary” policy, which limits cooperation with ICE.
“The elected leaders in this state of Illinois are ignoring the law. In fact, they’re being obstructionists when it comes to getting dangerous criminals off their streets,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference in Chicago in August.
ICE increased its personnel on the streets in September, with Border Patrol agents arriving in early October. Protests have erupted outside ICE’s suburban Broadview detention center, as federal police navigate the city.
Democratic alderman Raymond Lopez, representing a southwest Chicago ward, expressed concern over the bounty situation. “This is escalating based on the influence of those gangs across the city of Chicago, and it’s only going to end in one fashion with either they or an ICE agent, unfortunately being killed,” Lopez stated. “Immediate action must be taken at the federal level to protect community and agents because this Johnson administration is unwilling to do what it takes to keep either community or our federal partners safe.”
Joshua Treviño, a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning America First Policy Institute, noted that Mexican criminal organizations, or cartels, have extensive networks in the U.S. capable of executing directives from Mexico. “These networks would never have coalesced or grown in the way that they did without support from the Mexican government,” Treviño said. “This is a problem not just of Mexico’s criminals but its government as well.”
The Mexican Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.
On Sunday, Border Patrol agents witnessed an attempt to harm an ICE employee when a driver of a black Chevrolet Tahoe tried to ram into an undercover police vehicle. Although the agents managed to pin the Tahoe, the driver escaped on foot, and the ICE employee sustained no serious injuries.
“Due to heavy traffic and on-site agitators, the suspect was able to abscond,” the DHS stated.
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Treviño warned that if gang members in Chicago carry out an attack on federal law enforcement, the U.S. has the authority to respond beyond its borders. “If an agent … is harmed … in the United States by a foreign criminal, we have every jurisdiction for unilaterally going after them wherever they are,” Treviño emphasized. “One thing [President Donald Trump] has been crystal clear on is whatever it takes to defend American lives in America. And I would expect that this would be no different.”
