A Mexican national with a criminal record was arrested Wednesday after allegedly dragging a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with his vehicle while trying to evade arrest outside Chicago, federal officials said.
Jose Garnica-Naranjo, 32, was taken into custody one day after allegedly resisting a targeted immigration enforcement operation, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
“This illegal alien used his vehicle to assault one of our ICE officers, hospitalizing the officer,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said.
“Thankfully, the officer has since been released from the hospital. This is just the latest example of the staggering rise in anti-ICE violence, with our officers facing a more than 1,600% increase in assaults against them.”
ICE officers saw Garnica-Naranjo leave a residence in Chicago Heights on Tuesday morning. They followed him from a distance before attempting to pull over his vehicle, DHS said.
When officers approached, they ordered Garnica-Naranjo to shut off the engine. Authorities said he refused.
“When officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, Garnica accelerated and fled while an ERO Chicago officer was partially inside the vehicle through the driver-side window,” DHS said in a statement.
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Authorities said Garnica-Naranjo drove across a raised, tree-lined median, throwing the officer from the vehicle.
During the escape, Garnica-Naranjo’s vehicle struck the injured officer, who was transported to a nearby hospital.
The officer sustained contusions, cuts and scrapes to the legs. Medical tests found no broken bones.
ICE said Garnica-Naranjo’s criminal history includes convictions for domestic violence and assault.
Mullin attributed attacks on immigration officers to statements from Democratic elected officials who have accused ICE of terrorizing communities during enforcement actions.
“This is the result of anti-ICE rhetoric from sanctuary politicians like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker,” he said.
“DHS is calling on Governor Pritzker and all other sanctuary politicians to knock off this violent rhetoric and start cooperating with ICE before any more officers are injured in the line of duty.”