The FBI is warning that criminals across several states are impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to rob, kidnap and assault unsuspecting victims.
In a bulletin posted last month, the bureau detailed several cases in which offenders identified themselves as immigration agents while wearing shirts or jackets marked with the ICE logo.
The Oct. 17 bulletin, first reported by WIRED and obtained by the transparency group Property of the People via a public-records request, describes multiple cases of criminals posing as ICE agents.
According to the FBI, victims have reported being threatened, robbed, kidnapped and even sexually assaulted by individuals posing as federal officers. Some of the incidents occurred in New York, Florida and North Carolina, the bulletin said.
“Due to the recent increase in ICE enforcement actions across the country, criminal actors are using ICE’s enhanced public profile and media coverage to their advantage to target vulnerable communities,” the FBI said.
Officials say these impersonation scams are making it harder for communities to distinguish legitimate law enforcement operations from criminal activity — endangering both civilians and real officers. The FBI is urging local police departments to review identification protocols and reminding the public that impersonating a federal officer is a serious crime with significant penalties.
Retired FBI Special Agent Jason Pack, who spent more than two decades with the bureau, told Fox News Digital that the criminals behind these schemes are deliberately exploiting fear and confusion.
“Let’s be honest about these crooks,” Pack said. “They are slicker than a boiled onion and about as trustworthy as a snake oil salesman. They hide behind fake badges and phony authority, hoping folks will be too scared to ask questions.”
“That kind of behavior tears down public trust and puts real law enforcement officers in harm’s way,” he continued. “Anyone caught pretending to be an officer should be prosecuted and put so far under the jail they’ll need sunlight mailed in, and I mean that in the most lawful sense.” --->READ MORE HERE
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| Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images |
FBI bulletin details cases where offenders wear ICE-marked clothing to target vulnerable communities
The FBI is warning that criminals across several states are impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to rob, kidnap and assault unsuspecting victims.
In a bulletin posted last month, the bureau detailed several cases in which offenders identified themselves as immigration agents while wearing shirts or jackets marked with the ICE logo.
The Oct. 17 bulletin, first reported by WIRED and obtained by the transparency group Property of the People via a public-records request, describes multiple cases of criminals posing as ICE agents.
According to the FBI, victims have reported being threatened, robbed, kidnapped and even sexually assaulted by individuals posing as federal officers. Some of the incidents occurred in New York, Florida and North Carolina, the bulletin said.
"Due to the recent increase in ICE enforcement actions across the country, criminal actors are using ICE’s enhanced public profile and media coverage to their advantage to target vulnerable communities," the FBI said.
Officials say these impersonation scams are making it harder for communities to distinguish legitimate law enforcement operations from criminal activity — endangering both civilians and real officers. The FBI is urging local police departments to review identification protocols and reminding the public that impersonating a federal officer is a serious crime with significant penalties.
Retired FBI Special Agent Jason Pack, who spent more than two decades with the bureau, told Fox News Digital that the criminals behind these schemes are deliberately exploiting fear and confusion.
"Let’s be honest about these crooks," Pack said. "They are slicker than a boiled onion and about as trustworthy as a snake oil salesman. They hide behind fake badges and phony authority, hoping folks will be too scared to ask questions."
"That kind of behavior tears down public trust and puts real law enforcement officers in harm’s way," he continued. "Anyone caught pretending to be an officer should be prosecuted and put so far under the jail they’ll need sunlight mailed in, and I mean that in the most lawful sense."
Pack explained that real federal officers carry both a badge and photo credentials — and will always show them, especially in non-arrest situations. --->READ MORE HERE
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