ICE Shooting Leaves Two Hospitalized on Christmas Eve

Federal immigration agents shot at a moving vehicle on Wednesday morning in Glen Burnie, Maryland, during an enforcement and removal action, striking ..

Two people were taken to a hospital on Wednesday after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot them during a confrontation, a local official in Maryland said.

Newsweek reached out to the Anne Arundel County Police Department by phone on Wednesday afternoon for comment.

Why It Matters

Tensions remain high across the nation as ICE continues to carry out its immigration and deportation operations. ICE agents have met resistance in various cities, such when protesters blocked agents in New York City from leaving parking garages.

The agency has come under increasing scrutiny amid reports that deaths in ICE custody have increased, with the agency pushing back on those reports as attempts to "smear" the agency.

What To Know

Authorities have cordoned off the area as forensic services carry out an investigation into the incident that occurred Wednesday morning. WBAL reporter Breana Ross also wrote on X that ICE approached a van that then reportedly tried to run agents over when agents opened fire.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Press Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek in an emailed statement that agents were conducting an enforcement operation in Glen Burnie, near Maryland. The agents targeted Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, from Portugal.

"Officers approached the vehicle and instructe

d Sousa-Martins to turn off the engine. The driver refused and attempted to flee, then weaponized his vehicles and began ramming his van into several ICE vehicles," McLaughlin said.

"Fearing for their lives and public safety, [agents] defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver," McLaughlin added. "Sousa-Martins then wrecked his van between two buildings, injuring the passenger."

She identified the second person as a passenger, Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel of El Salvador. Both men were identified as being illegally in the country.

Sousa-Martins has entered the U.S. in December 2008 but has illegally resided in the country since February 2009 when he refused to leave following his visa's expiration.

Lieutenant Josh Bramble, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, initially told The Baltimore Banner that two ambulances responded to the shooting and took two patients with "unknown injuries" to the hospital.

However, radio chatter indicated that one victim was a 30-year-old male, and that the agent reported feeling "neck pain." Ross reported them as the dive and "someone outside the van."

However, it has been revealed that Serrano-Esquivel was the person receiving treatment for "whiplash," not the agent.

County Councilwoman Allison Pickard, a Democrat in Glen Burnie, Maryland, told the Banner that the neighborhood where there shooting occurred is "very diverse" and is home to a "high immigrant, Hispanic population."

What People Are Saying

DHS Assistant Press Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in an emailed statement to Newsweek, in part: "This incident, which is still under investigation, comes as the extremist anti-ICE rhetoric and outright lies of politicians, the news media, activists, and violent agitators continue to fuel a more than 1,150% increase in assaults against ICE officers. Our brave officers are risking their lives every day to keep American communities safe by arresting and removing illegal aliens from our streets. Continued efforts to encourage illegal aliens and violent agitators to actively resist ICE will only lead to more violent incidents, the extremist rhetoric must stop.”"

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, on X: "I am aware of the ICE-involved shooting that occurred earlier today in Glen Burnie. As information surrounding the incident continues to emerge, we will remain in touch with local officials and are standing by to provide support for the community."

The Department of Homeland Security, this week on X: "All year long, our DHS law enforcement officers worked around-the-clock, including weekends and holidays, to arrest the WORST OF THE WORST. We are thankful for the sacrifice they have made to deliver safer communities this holiday season."