On Christmas Eve, at approximately 10:50 a.m., President Donald Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were compelled to use their firearms in Glen Burnie, Maryland, as a suspect attempted an aggressive vehicular assault against them. The incident occurred in the Parke West neighborhood on the 500 block of West Court.
ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations team was executing a targeted enforcement detail when they approached a white van. The encounter with the van's driver escalated when, according to police, the driver accelerated in an attempt to hit the agents. This prompted the agents to discharge their firearms at the vehicle. The van subsequently fled the scene and was later found in a wooded area behind residential homes.
The confrontation led to injuries for two individuals who were then transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore by the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. One person in the van, struck by gunfire, was reported to be in stable condition. The second person, found outside the vehicle, suffered minor injuries.
As the investigation unfolds, led by the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the identities of those injured have not been disclosed. Authorities confirmed that the ICE agents fired in response to the direct threat posed by the vehicle. The Anne Arundel County Police secured the vicinity, signaling the gravity of the situation with yellow crime scene tape, as forensic services were seen analyzing the site.
The incident has not been commented on by ICE, and their response to media inquiries is pending. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has expressed awareness of the situation and is following developments closely, offering support to the local community.
This event is part of a growing national concern regarding violence against immigration enforcement officers. With at least nine such shootings reported this year, including several cases where suspects targeted agents with vehicles, the threat to these public servants is evident. Since President Trump resumed office in January, there has been a notable increase in attacks on ICE personnel, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting a rise in assaults and death threats.
Federal officials have cautioned that negative public discourse around immigration enforcement may have tangible negative outcomes, endangering both agents and the public. Notably, a DHS spokesperson disclosed via Twitter that the suspect, identified as Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, was the subject of the targeted operation in Glen Burnie.
