Chicago Bounties on Immigration Officers and Cross-Border Crime

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) Federal and local law enforcement are on high alert after Mexican criminal organizations and Chicago-based gangs placed bounties on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol personnel, targeting high-ranking immigration officers tied to recent enforcement drives in Chicago. Officials say offers range from small payments for doxxing to up to $50,000 for killing senior leaders. The threats, first flagged in October 2025, mark a sharp rise in cross‑border crime and a direct challenge to the United States 🇺🇸 government’s push to tighten immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities.

$2,000 is offered for gathering intelligence on named agents, including photos, home addresses, and family details. Mid‑level prizes of $5,000–$10,000 cover kidnapping attempts or non‑lethal assaults targeting standard agents. The highest tier, advertised as up to $50,000, calls for the assassination of high‑ranking ICE or Border Patrol officials. DHS and the DEA say both Mexican drug cartels and Chicago gangs, including the Latin Kings, are coordinating parts of the scheme through social media and neighborhood spotters.

Escalation

In early October, federal agents arrested Juan Espinoza Martinez, described by investigators as a Latin Kings leader, on charges that he sought to pay for the capture or killing of a senior Border Patrol commander tied to “Operation Midway Blitz,” a major crackdown on undocumented immigrants in Illinois.

Prosecutors say armed spotters using handheld radios have appeared on rooftops in several Chicago neighborhoods to track law enforcement vehicles. Agents also reported attempts to ram ICE cars and direct assaults on teams serving warrants, underscoring the real‑world danger behind the online threats.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called the bounties “unprecedented” and a “direct attack on the rule of law,” echoing warnings from senior officials who say the campaign is meant to intimidate officers and disrupt removal operations. The government has surged resources into the region, stepped up protective details for named officials, and kept mass deportation operations in motion.

This effort aligns with President Trump’s tougher enforcement posture in sanctuary jurisdictions, which has already stirred legal fights with local leaders and street protests over the pace and scope of arrests.

Investigators note references to several cartels — including Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation — in threat streams and recent federal designations alongside groups like MS‑13. While authorities attribute the Chicago plots to a mix of cartel facilitators and local gang enforcers, some security experts caution that public assassinations of high‑ranking U.S. officials would mark a break from typical cartel behavior, which often seeks to reduce attention from federal agencies. That tension adds uncertainty to the threat picture even as arrests continue.

Federal Response

Federal authorities say they are treating the bounties as a top national security priority.

• Homeland Security intelligence teams are mapping social media channels, encrypted chats, and street‑level networks used to spread payment offers.
• ICE, Border Patrol, and the U.S. Marshals Service have increased joint patrols and surveillance around officers’ homes and workplaces.
• DHS has briefed local police on tactics gangs may use, from rooftop spotters to vehicle swarms, to deter or ambush immigration officers moving between targets.

Families of agents have been pulled into the crisis. Officers report new rules at home:

• Varying commute routes
• Delayed or limited social media posts
• No public mention of school pickups, sports events, or places of worship
• Children instructed not to share last names online

One Chicago agent, speaking through a union representative, said his family now changes cars before appointments after doxxing reports circulated.

Officials have urged the public to report suspicious activity and to avoid sharing unverified claims that can amplify threats. DHS points residents to its national awareness campaign for guidance on how to flag possible surveillance, stalking, or planned violence without putting themselves at risk. The department’s public resource outlines what to look for and how to contact authorities in urgent and non‑urgent cases; more details are available on the Department of Homeland Security’s public awareness page.

Tensions Between Federal Priorities and City Politics

The bounties expose gaps between federal priorities and city politics.

• Chicago leaders defend local limits on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, arguing trust with immigrant communities keeps neighborhoods safer.
• Federal officials counter that sanctuary policies complicate operations and drive up risk to agents who must complete more field arrests.

That friction, long present, has intensified as mass removal operations expand, putting street teams in more direct conflict with gang networks that profit from smuggling, narco‑sales, and identity fraud.

Investigators say the offers posted by cartel associates and Chicago gangs include detailed menus, with smaller amounts for tips and photos and higher payments for kidnappings or assaults. Some posts ask for names of children or parents of immigration officers, along with school schedules. Others request video clips of agents leaving federal buildings or meeting with informants.

Authorities believe the intent is to gather enough material to stalk targets and to test whether low‑dollar tasks can draw in desperate recruits willing to escalate to violent acts.

Patterns, Analysis, and Training

• According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the tactic mirrors methods used in past transnational schemes: normalize small crimes first, then raise payouts to push recruits into more serious offenses.
• Public threats against U.S. agents often spark rapid federal action and can produce sweeping conspiracy cases, even when plots don’t reach completion.

That pattern appears to be playing out in Chicago, where multiple arrests have followed the first postings and protective teams have widened their scope to cover extended family and support staff.

Law enforcement trainers now brief agents on counter‑surveillance basics:

1. Scan rooftops and balconies for lookouts.
2. Avoid predictable parking.
3. Keep phones in airplane mode near sensitive sites.
4. Report drones hovering near homes.

Union leaders say they are tracking overtime and wellness requests as officers absorb longer shifts and family stress. Several hospitals in the area have coordinated with federal offices on emergency protocols in case of ambushes, including how to secure treatment floors if a team brings in a wounded agent after a street brawl.

Community Impact and Precautions

For immigrants in Chicago, the climate is tense. Community groups report fewer people willing to visit clinics, schools, or court dates when large operations sweep through neighborhoods. Advocates say some residents fear being caught between enforcement actions and gang activity.

While the bounties target officers, not residents, the spillover can disrupt daily life:

• Blocked streets
• Sudden raids
• The sight of long‑rifles on corners

Counselors advise families, regardless of status, to keep copies of IDs, emergency contacts, and legal documents ready in case of unexpected detentions or area lockdowns.

Ongoing Investigations and Financial Trails

Federal agencies have not disclosed how many immigration officers in Chicago are under direct protective details, but officials say coverage now extends to certain supervisors and analysts who handle sensitive targeting data.

Investigators are tracing money paths tied to the bounty offers, including:

• Prepaid phones
• Courier payments
• Crypto wallets used to move small sums quickly

DHS officials say the pace of leads has not slowed, even as arrests mount, and they characterize the current threat level as sustained rather than episodic.

Core facts: organized crime is offering cash for harm against U.S. officers, and Chicago has become a focal point. The amounts are explicit — $2,000 for doxxing, $5,000–$10,000 for kidnapping or assault, and up to $50,000 for killing a high‑ranking official — and the targets include those directing removal operations.

For investigators, the goal is clear: disrupt every phase, from the first photo request to any planned ambush, before a threat moves from talk to irreversible damage.