On July 15, 2025, during a routine operation in Oklahoma City, ICE agents attempted to detain Jose Melgar-Rivas, a Honduran citizen with a deportation order.
As ICE agents attempted to detain him, Melgar-Rivas accelerated his vehicle and plowed into an agent, dragging him nearly a block with his door ajar. The agent suffered severe bruises and scrapes and was hospitalized after the incident.
Arrest and new charges
Melgar-Rivas was apprehended hours later in cooperation between ICE, FBI Oklahoma City and HSI Dallas.
He faces charges of assault, resisting and impeding a federal officer, in addition to his existing deportation order.
The officer suffered severe bruises and abrasions
QuéOnnda.com
Rising trend: assaults on agents
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and DHS have said that attacks against agents have increased 830% since January 2025.
He points out that this case is part of a national trend of aggressions -including rocks, Molotov cocktails and shootings- in ICE-related contexts.
Statements by authorities
Republican Senator James Lankford (R-OK) called the event a “reminder of the risks” taken in executing the law.
For her part, the ERO Dallas spokeswoman stated that “the assault on our officers will not be tolerated” and issued a public alert for their capture.
Melgar-Rivas, 34, with no prior violent history – only one traffic violation in 2024 – could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to court documents.
This incident with ICE agents is evidence of an increasingly tense environment in immigration operations, with a significant increase in aggressions.
For the Latino community it is crucial to understand how these situations impact immigration policies, detention risks and collective security.
We will continue to provide updates on the legal status of Melgar-Rivas and the implications for ICE-community relations.
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com.
