❓WHAT HAPPENED: Facebook removed a group page used to dox and target U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago, Illinois, after outreach from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Justice, Facebook, ICE agents, and individuals accused of targeting federal law enforcement.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent actions in Chicago, Illinois; broader incidents across the U.S. involving ICE agents.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs.” – Attorney General Pam Bondi
🎯IMPACT: Increased scrutiny of platforms enabling doxxing and violence against ICE agents, alongside legal actions against people targeting federal law enforcement.
Facebook has removed a group page used to track and expose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in the Chicago area, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Today following outreach from the Justice Department, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target ICE agents in Chicago,” Bondi said in a statement. “The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs.”
Federal officials say the group, believed to be titled “ICE Sighting—Chicagoland,” was part of a growing trend of online efforts to undermine immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security reports that attacks on ICE personnel have risen by more than 1,000 percent, including both doxxing attempts and physical assaults.
The Justice Department recently announced charges against three people—Cynthia Raygoza, Sandra Carmona Samane, and Ashleigh Brown—who allegedly followed an ICE agent to his home and livestreamed the confrontation. In a separate case, Apple removed an app called ICEBlock from its store in early October. The app allowed users to share the locations of ICE agents in real time and was reportedly used by Joshua Jahn, the suspect in a deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE facility that left two dead.
In Chicago, two suspects, Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ruiz, were recently charged after allegedly ramming their vehicles into federal agents, although despite the severity of the incident, a judge ordered both suspects released. In Illinois more broadly, a Democrat candidate for State Senate is also facing criticism after doxxing the hotel where ICE agents were staying and urging supporters to call and report them.
Anarchist websites have also targeted ICE in the Chicago area, publishing internal layouts of facilities, photos, and identifying details of agents, including names and badge numbers. Officials warn that these efforts increase the danger to law enforcement officers.
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