EXCLUSIVE — Federal law enforcement believes bounties placed on the heads of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeping the streets of Chicago originated in Mexico and that local gangs are actively trying to carry out the assassinations.
The Department of Homeland Security shared internal information from the Drug Enforcement Administration with the Washington Examiner on Thursday afternoon, stating how gangs in Chicago’s southwest neighborhoods were offered bounties between $5,000 and $50,000 for each ICE employee assassination.
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“Gangs in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods have ‘spotters’ stationed on building rooftops, armed with guns, monitoring law enforcement activity in those areas. Communication is conducted via radio,” the DEA report states.
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said earlier this week that “bounties” were being offered for slain ICE officers and agents.
DHS’s latest disclosure to the Washington Examiner additionally states that “allegedly, bounties and instructions were directed from Mexico.”
The bounties are $5,000 for an agent or officer; $10,000 for an agent or officer in a commanding role, and $50,000 for an agent or officer in a high-ranking position, the DEA report states.
Last week, the DHS announced that it had arrested Latin Kings gang member Juan Espinoza Martinez for putting out a “hit” on Gregory Bovino, the head of Border Patrol’s Chicago operations.
ICYMI: The feds arrested a man who put a $10,000 bounty on the head of the top Border Patrol agent in Chicago: @CMDROpAtLargeCA Greg Bovino
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) October 7, 2025
Turns out, he was a Latin Kings gang member. Screenshots of Snapchat conversation reveal a $10K reward “if you take him down.” pic.twitter.com/A40tx5juNL
The Trump administration recently sent in ICE and Border Patrol to Chicago to conduct immigration enforcement targeting certain wanted individuals who have no legal standing to be in the United States.
Ahead of the early fall arrival of federal forces in Chicago, the Washington Examiner reported that Chicago police had refused to turn over more than 1,550 (92%) of illegal immigrants in local jails for criminal offenses during the Trump administration due to the city’s “sanctuary” policy of not cooperating with ICE.
“The elected leaders in this state of Illinois are ignoring the law. In fact, they’re being obstructionists when it comes to getting dangerous criminals off their streets,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said at a press conference in Chicago in August.
ICE unleashed more personnel on the streets in September, and Border Patrol agents arrived in early October. Riots have broken out in the streets outside ICE’s suburban Broadview detention center, and as federal police attempt to move through the city’s streets on foot and in vehicles.
Raymond Lopez, a Democratic alderman who represents a ward in southwest Chicago, was concerned after learning about the origins of the bounty offer.
“This is escalating based on the influence of those gangs across the city of Chicago, and it’s only going to end in one fashion with either they or an ICE agent, unfortunately being killed,” Lopez said in a phone call. “Immediate action must be taken at the federal level to protect community and agents because this Johnson administration is unwilling to do what it takes to keep either community or our federal partners safe.”
Joshua Treviño, a senior fellow for the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the conservative-leaning America First Policy Institute and chief transformation officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, said Mexican criminal organizations known as cartels have long tentacles that extend “deep” into the U.S. and are capable of carrying out instructions from Mexico.
“These networks would never have coalesced or grown in the way that they did without” support from the Mexican government, Treviño said. “This is a problem not just of Mexico’s criminals but its government as well,” he added.
The Mexican Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.
On Sunday, Border Patrol agents observed the driver of a black Chevrolet Tahoe who had attempted to harm an ICE employee driving the Ram by ramming the truck into the undercover police vehicle. Border Patrol agents were able to pin the Tahoe, but the driver escaped and fled on foot. The ICE employee was not seriously injured.
“Due to heavy traffic and on-site agitators, the suspect was able to abscond,” the DHS said in a statement.
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Treviño warned that if gang members in Chicago follow through and attack federal law enforcement, the U.S. can take action outside its borders.
“If an agent … is harmed … in the United States by a foreign criminal, we have every jurisdiction for unilaterally going after them wherever they are,” Treviño said. “One thing [President Donald Trump] has been crystal clear on is whatever it takes to defend American lives in America. And I would expect that this would be no different.”