An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fired shots during a tense arrest operation in St. Paul, Minnesota, after an undocumented Cuban migrant allegedly struck two federal agents with an SUV, U.S. officials have confirmed.
According to an email statement sent to ABC News by Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, the incident occurred early Sunday morning, December 21, when ICE agents attempted to arrest the migrant outside his apartment complex. During the operation, the suspect reportedly resisted arrest and used his vehicle to hit two agents.
Officials said the ICE agents identified themselves after spotting the man entering his SUV. When they asked him to roll down his window, the suspect reportedly refused to cooperate. Agents then warned they would break the window if he did not comply.
Instead of following instructions, the man allegedly drove off, striking one ICE agent with his SUV. He then entered the parking lot of his apartment complex, where agents again ordered him to stop and exit the vehicle. Authorities said the suspect rammed his SUV into an ICE vehicle, hitting a second agent in the process.
At that point, one ICE agent fired shots at the vehicle. Officials confirmed that none of the bullets struck the suspect. The migrant was not injured by gunfire, while both agents suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation.
After exiting the SUV, the suspect reportedly tried to flee on foot toward his apartment. ICE agents pursued and restrained him on the ground. During the struggle, officials said the man bit one of the agents before he was fully subdued and taken into custody.
The St. Paul Police Department stated that officers were already in the area responding to reports of gunfire when they learned the shots were fired by a federal agent during the arrest operation. Local police assisted at the scene following the incident.
Homeland Security officials also revealed that the suspect entered the United States through a now-discontinued immigration program introduced under the Biden administration. The program had allowed migrants without valid entry documents to remain in the U.S. temporarily while their asylum claims were processed.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in Minnesota and other parts of the country, where federal immigration enforcement has intensified. In recent days, ICE operations have sparked protests, including clashes between demonstrators and federal agents in Minneapolis.
Authorities have not released the name of the suspect, and the incident remains under review as part of standard federal procedures.