A 23-year-old undocumented migrant from Mexico, identified as Eduardo Aguilar, has been arrested in Texas for allegedly posting a TikTok video that offered a $10,000 bounty to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that Aguilar has been charged with transmitting communications containing threats.
According to court records, the video, posted on October 9, included text written in Spanish that said, “I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination who aren’t afraid to,” followed by skull emojis. The clip then displayed another line that read, “10K for each ICE agent.” Federal authorities say the post was viewed multiple times before it was flagged and reported.
Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson condemned the incident, stressing that “threats against law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable.” She added that every threat against ICE agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
Aguilar could face up to five years in federal prison if convicted. Investigators revealed that TikTok assisted law enforcement in identifying the suspect by sharing account details linked to his profile. The social media platform’s cooperation played a key role in Aguilar’s arrest.
The case highlights growing concerns about online threats targeting immigration officers. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported a sharp 1,000 percent increase in assaults and violent threats against ICE agents in recent months.
This is not the first case of its kind. In Illinois, authorities recently arrested Juan Espinoza-Martinez, an alleged undocumented migrant and suspected member of the Latin Kings gang, for allegedly offering a bounty on a top U.S. Border Patrol official through Snapchat. His attorney, however, has denied the claims, accusing the government of politicizing the case without evidence.
Meanwhile, a separate incident in Dallas last month saw a gunman open fire at an immigration facility, killing two detainees. Police found bullet casings marked “Anti-ICE” at the scene, deepening concerns about rising hostility toward immigration enforcement personnel.
Federal authorities have vowed to take every threat seriously, emphasizing that online messages inciting violence against officers will not be tolerated. The investigation into Aguilar’s actions is ongoing as officials work to determine whether others were involved in the alleged plan.