A suspect fleeing the scene of an arrest allegedly struck an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with their vehicle in New Jersey on Monday.

” Information was provided that I.C.E. was attempting to apprehend a suspect when the suspect fled from the scene in a vehicle, striking the I.C.E. Agent. The agent discharged his firearm at the vehicle, reportedly striking it. The suspect fled the scene in the vehicle and has not been located at this time. The agent reportedly sustained unknown injuries and it is unknown if the suspect was injured at this time. There is no reason to believe there is any concern for the public’s safety,” the Stafford Township Police Department said in a Facebook post.

“Stafford Township Police adheres to the Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive and was not assisting or a part of the I.C.E. operation. The ongoing investigation is not being conducted by Stafford Township Police. Our role at this point is to manage traffic and secure the crime scene,” it continued.

The Hill shared further:

Manahawkin is roughly 85 miles south of Delaney Hall, a federal migrant detention center in Newark. Anti-ICE protesters have gathered outside the facility throughout the second Trump administration, including amid an ongoing hunger strike by detainees to protest conditions inside.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) said last week she received a “closely controlled and limited tour” of Delaney Hall by federal officials and was not allowed to speak directly to detainees.

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Sherrill also pushed for her state’s Department of Health to be able to inspect the facility. The New Jersey government sued The GEO Group, which operates Delaney Hall, for access earlier this month.

Tom Homan, the White House border czar, also said last week that ICE is set to surge officers to New York City.

“You are going to see more ICE agents than you have ever seen in New York City. And it’s coming. I just reviewed an operational plan. I’m not going to tell you exactly when it’s going to happen, but it’s coming,” Homan said during an appearance on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends.”

Under New Jersey law, law enforcement officers at the local, county and state levels cannot participate in federal immigration raids.

“Regarding this morning’s incident involving I.C.E., the Stafford Township Police Department received an emergency call for a report of shots fired and an injured officer on Route 72 near Mermaid Drive. Stafford Township Police Officers responded immediately to find an injured I.C.E. agent who officers then provided first aid to and facilitated his transport for further treatment. Officers also attempted to locate the suspect who had fled the scene before their arrival,” the Stafford Township Police Department said in an update.

“The scene was secured by responding officers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continued the investigation. Stafford Township Police Department will follow through with any local charges once the investigation is complete. Route 72 is now open in both directions and there continues to be no known safety concerns to the public,” it added.

“On June 15, 2026, ICE law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Manahawkin, New Jersey to arrest Freidrich Castillo-Ormeno, an illegal alien from Peru who was released into our country under the Biden administration. He was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge on January 30, 2026. ICE law enforcement officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The driver then weaponized his vehicle and struck an officer resulting in the officer discharging his weapon. The driver fled the scene and remains at-large,” ICE stated on X.

“The injured officer has been transported to a local hospital for treatment. The FBI and local authorities are on the scene. This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available. There is a pattern of vehicle attacks against our officers. Our law enforcement officers are facing a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks against them,” it continued.

More from The Guardian:

Monday’s case reportedly occurred at 9.30am, the police said. It came less than a week after Donald Trump signed a new law giving ICE and other agencies within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) roughly $70bn in additional funding for the mass deportation campaign that he has led since the start of his second presidency in early 2025.

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