Fake ICE agents target immigrants in wave of robberies and assaults

Fear of immigration enforcement has become a weapon in its own right. In 2025, more than 30 cases surfaced in which people posing as federal agents tried to rob, intimidate, injure or rape immigrants, turning the threat of deportation into cover for assault and extortion. One victim in North Carolina said, “I can’t sleep, always wondering if they’re coming back.”

The pattern was not confined to one state. In February 2025, arrests tied to alleged ICE impersonation had already been reported in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Carl Bennett Jr., 37, was accused of posing as an ICE agent at a motel and threatening to deport a woman unless she had sex with him. In South Carolina, Sean-Michael Johnson, 33, was accused of detaining Latino men while claiming to be with ICE. In Philadelphia, Temple University student Aidan Steigelmann was charged after allegedly identifying himself as an ICE agent while trying to enter a residence hall. In Martin County, Florida, José Juan Lopez was accused of claiming to be an ICE agent and threatening Latino men after chasing them for blocks.

Federal authorities have warned for years that this kind of scam is common and that immigrants are frequent targets. The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general said in May 2024 that it receives hundreds of reports each year about scammers impersonating DHS employees, often targeting immigrants, elderly adults and minority groups. The warning said impostors may spoof caller ID, use fake badges and uniforms, and threaten arrest, deportation or visa cancellation. Homeland Security Investigations in Michigan and Ohio separately warned in October 2024 that it would never call demanding bank information or payment over the phone to avoid an impending law enforcement action.

The danger is sharpened by confusion around real immigration operations. As ICE has carried out increasingly visible enforcement actions, immigrant-rights advocates say fake agents have been able to exploit fear of the real thing, especially when legitimate officers are in plain clothes and using unmarked vehicles. A notorious 2018 Los Angeles case showed how far the deception can go: an impersonator was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after authorities found fake ICE badges, uniforms, body armor marked “ICE” and “Federal Agent,” red and blue police lights, weapons and about 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

The arrests in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Florida show that the threat is no longer theoretical. For immigrants already bracing for real enforcement, a knock at the door or a phone call can now bring a second danger: predators posing as the law.