ICE Agent Run Down and Shot at in New Jersey as Manhunt Continues

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was injured Monday morning when a suspect being arrested struck the agent with a vehicle near a Wawa convenience store in Stafford Township, New Jersey, around 9:30 a.m. [1, 4]. ICE identified the suspect as Freidrich Castillo-Ormeno, a Peruvian national who was released into the country under the Biden administration and had been issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on January 30, 2026 [3]. After being struck, the agent discharged his firearm at the fleeing vehicle; the agent was transported to a hospital for treatment, and the suspect remained at large as of Monday evening [1, 2]. ICE said the incident reflects a broader trend, citing what the agency described as a 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks against its officers [2].

Why It Sucks:

ICE Officers and Law Enforcement

• Officers face a documented surge in violence. ICE cites a 3,300% jump in vehicle attacks against agents, framing this incident as part of a dangerous pattern rather than an isolated case [2].
• Field agents need better protection now. Union representatives argue incidents like this prove the job has grown more dangerous and agents need more backup and legal cover [1, 2].
• The system already failed once here. Agents note Castillo-Ormeno had a final removal order months earlier, meaning he should have been removed before this confrontation ever happened [3].

Immigrant Rights Advocates

• A vehicle stop escalated into gunfire near a public storefront. Advocates point out the agent fired his weapon near a convenience store, raising bystander-safety concerns regardless of the suspect’s record [1, 4].
• A removal order doesn’t justify any tactic. Advocates argue having a final order of removal doesn’t automatically validate aggressive vehicle stops that risk public safety [3].
• Communities live in fear of these encounters. Immigrant communities argue incidents like this deepen distrust of ICE tactics for everyone nearby, not just the person being pursued [1].

Conservative Lawmakers and Border Hawks

• This is what “catch and release” produces. Hawks argue Castillo-Ormeno being released into the country under a prior administration before later receiving a removal order is exactly the failure they’ve warned about [3].
• Striking a federal officer should carry serious consequences. Conservatives are calling for stiffer penalties for assaulting ICE agents during enforcement actions [2].
• The numbers justify more enforcement, not less. Citing the cited spike in attacks on agents, border hawks argue it supports expanding ICE’s resources and authority rather than restricting them [2].

Sources & Citations:

[1] CNN: ICE agent shoots at fleeing vehicle in New Jersey after being hit by suspect, police say
[2] Fox News: Fleeing suspect hits ICE agent in New Jersey immigration arrest, on the run
[3] ICE (@ICEgov): Statement on the June 15, 2026 Manahawkin/Stafford Township arrest attempt
[4] NBC10 Philadelphia: ICE agent fires shots after being hit by van in Stafford Twp., NJ, police say