In a significant escalation of federal security measures, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has signaled stronger collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate organized efforts and extremist groups allegedly targeting federal law enforcement agents across the United States.
While an exact joint announcement by Lyons has not yet appeared in mainstream news, the broader context of recent violent incidents and growing interagency operations shows a shift toward heightened coordination between DHS and the FBI to protect federal agents and address organized threats.
This move reflects the rising concern among federal officials about potential attacks, doxxing of agents, and escalating violence against immigration officers in the field.
Rising Threats to ICE Agents and Federal Law Enforcement
Over the past year, the United States has seen a series of serious physical attacks and threats directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and DHS facilities.
In one notable incident, a gunman opened fire on a Dallas ICE facility, resulting in multiple injuries and one death, before fatally shooting himself.
Investigators, including the FBI, treated the Dallas shooting as a targeted attack on federal immigration enforcement agents — underscoring the potential dangers faced by law enforcement from individuals harboring hostility toward ICE.
Federal authorities recovered evidence that an assailant may have planned the assault and sought information about federal facilities and operations prior to the attack. The FBI’s involvement in the investigation highlights the complex nature of these incidents and the need for combined expertise from multiple federal agencies.
Reports also indicate that some federal agents have faced doxxing — having their identities shared publicly online — and threats circulated through social media and encrypted messaging apps.
While specific details and named extremist groups are not always publicly available, the concern over doxxing and coordinated harassment has been elevated by ICE leadership and echoed in law enforcement circles.
Increasing Interagency Cooperation
Although there isn’t an official release explicitly quoting Director Lyons on a DHS-FBI partnership to investigate “multiple groups” targeting federal agents, existing frameworks demonstrate strong interagency cooperation.
For example, Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) were established in 2025 as joint law-enforcement task forces combining DHS components and the FBI to combat transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling, and other serious cross-border threats.
These HSTFs formalize investigative efforts that bring together expertise and intelligence from both DHS and the FBI, reinforcing federal capabilities to respond to complex criminal activity that could also include threats against federal personnel.
Additionally, regional FBI divisions, such as the Chicago Field Office, routinely participate in task forces with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to target drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violent criminal syndicates — illustrating the existing collaborative mechanisms that could also be used to investigate threats against federal agents.
Public Statements and Leadership Positioning
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has publicly highlighted the risks ICE agents face in the line of duty, including potential assaults and hostile engagements.
In interviews, Lyons has emphasized concerns about doxxing and threats directed at agents, including the use of technology by fringe organizations to identify agents and expose their personal information.
While these comments are anecdotal and surfaced in media reporting rather than formal joint statements, they suggest Lyons supports enhanced investigative coordination to address these challenges.
Additionally, federal lawmakers have raised concerns about safety and identification of federal agents following disturbing incidents where criminals impersonated ICE officers and committed violent crimes.
Correspondence from members of Congress to DHS and the FBI in November 2025 requested briefings on risks and protective measures linked to identity disclosures and safety threats against federal agents.
The Broader Context of Federal Enforcement Challenges
The increased focus on safety for DHS and ICE personnel occurs amid broader tensions over federal immigration policies and enforcement operations.
Heavy-handed raids, controversial immigration enforcement actions in major cities, and friction with sanctuary jurisdictions have heightened the visibility of federal agents — and in some cases, intensified criticism and backlash from activist groups.
These operational environments can create elevated risks for federal agents, particularly when enforcement actions occur in densely populated urban areas or are perceived as highly politicized. While most protests remain peaceful, isolated incidents have demonstrated the potential for confrontation and violence, elevating the imperative for intelligence-led investigations and protective measures.
What Interagency Investigations Aim To Accomplish
A core goal of joint DHS–FBI investigations is to identify and dismantle organized efforts to threaten, harass, or attack federal agents. This involves:
Sharing intelligence across federal agencies to pinpoint patterns of coordinated activity.Investigating potential threats from extremist groups, cyber networks, or violent actors who may target agents physically or digitally.Leveraging task forces and joint operations to deploy combined resources against transnational and domestic threats.Protecting agent identities and personal safety when online platforms or encrypted channels are used to publicize agent information.
These integrated strategies build on existing frameworks such as Homeland Security Task Forces and FBI domestic threat units, enhancing federal law enforcement’s capacity to respond to emerging risks.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Federal investigations targeting extremist or violent groups must balance law enforcement objectives with constitutional protections, particularly regarding civil liberties like free speech and assembly.
Historical controversies over FBI surveillance of domestic groups — such as the COINTELPRO program in the mid-20th century — offer cautionary precedents that inform current policies on intelligence gathering and civil liberties.
Ensuring that investigations are properly authorized, legally grounded, and respectful of constitutional rights is crucial to maintaining public trust and avoiding overreach.
Looking Ahead
As threats against federal agents evolve — ranging from hostile rhetoric and online harassment to physical attacks — DHS and the FBI are likely to continue strengthening interagency cooperation and intelligence collection.
While a formal announcement specifically naming “multiple groups” under investigation has not yet been published, the trajectory of federal law enforcement efforts points toward greater joint action to safeguard federal personnel and investigate those who would endanger them.
In the coming months, additional press briefings, congressional oversight hearings, and interagency reports may provide more clarity on the scope of these investigations, the groups identified, and the strategies being employed.
