An illegal immigrant has been officially indicted following an assault on federal agents in Texas last month, a case that has drawn significant attention due to its serious nature and implications.

The Justice Department announced on Thursday that Jerson Lopez-Sanchez, a 28-year-old Honduran national, faces charges for allegedly assaulting federal immigration officers. Lopez-Sanchez was reportedly residing in the United States without legal authorization at the time of the incident.

The incident unfolded on December 1, 2025, when immigration agents attempted to stop a vehicle linked to Lopez-Sanchez during a traffic operation. The vehicle, occupied by at least five individuals, was reportedly driven by Lopez-Sanchez, who allegedly reversed the vehicle, injuring an agent positioned behind it, according to Justice Department reports.

The indictment, which was filed on January 14, provides further details, including images of the implicated vehicle, identified as a Chevrolet Silverado. The vehicle was purportedly loaded with heavy equipment and ladders, adding complexity to the situation.

As this case progresses, it highlights ongoing challenges in immigration enforcement and the risks faced by federal agents in the line of duty. The legal proceedings against Lopez-Sanchez will likely continue to attract public and media attention, underscoring the broader issues surrounding immigration and border security in the United States.

The maneuver supposedly gave Lopez-Sanchez enough room to drive around the other law enforcement vehicles in an apparent attempt to flee, the DOJ said. The department noted that federal agents were in three separate vehicles and “all were wearing clearly marked law enforcement vests with police identifying insignia as well as carrying federal agent badges.”

Law enforcement then began to pursue Lopez-Sanchez with their blue and red flashing lights engaged, according to the DOJ. 

With another law enforcement vehicle behind him, Lopez-Sanchez allegedly “made no attempts to apply the brakes to his vehicle as he approached the two ICE agents in a Chrysler van and crossed over opposite lanes of traffic,” the indictment states. He then allegedly rammed into the van, causing “significant damage and smoke to rise from the hood” and deploying the vehicle’s airbags, according to the indictment.

Officers from Homeland Security and the FBI conduct immigration enforcement in El Paso, Texas on Thursday, January 30, 2025. (FBI)

As the third law enforcement vehicle continued to pursue him, Lopez-Sanchez fled for approximately 10 minutes before he stopped the vehicle on a median and all five occupants took off on foot, according to the DOJ.

“The manner in which the Suspect Vehicle was used, by Jerson Lopez- Sanchez, was a deadly and dangerous weapon capable of inflicting death or bodily injury,” the indictment states. The term “suspect vehicle” in the indictment refers to the Chevrolet Silverado.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem slammed the attack on ICE agents in Minneapolis, Wednesday, as an “act of domestic terrorism” during remarks at the southern border in Texas.  (Pool / Fox News)

Lopez-Sanchez was identified as the driver of the vehicle and remains at-large. The DOJ has encouraged anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of Lopez-Sanchez to contact the FBI, saying that those who contact the bureau could “be eligible for a cash reward.”

If convicted, Lopez-Sanchez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count of the indictment.