DHS rejects 'bait' claim as Dallas ICE shooting intensifies debate over ICE policy

Federal officials on Thursday dismissed a Fox News report alleging ICE agents used a 5-year-old autistic girl as bait to pressure her father into surrender, a claim that surfaced amid a broader dispute over the agency and amid calls by some lawmakers to overhaul or abolish ICE. The dispute coincided with a deadly attack at an ICE field office in Dallas, underscoring the charged political environment surrounding immigration enforcement.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called Omar’s post a “vile lie” and the accompanying narrative a “disgusting smear.” She said ICE agents never used a 5-year-old girl as bait and described the allegation as an example of the inflammatory rhetoric that has accompanied debates over immigration enforcement. According to McLaughlin, Mejia abandoned his 5-year-old daughter in a car, officers helped rescue the child, and local police were notified to respond to the reported abandonment. She added that the target, Edwards Hip Mejia, had prior arrests and had ignored emergency lights before retreating into his home. “The criminal illegal alien target — with previous arrests for domestic abuse and strangulation, among other charges — ABANDONED his own child in a car,” McLaughlin said, tying the episode to broader criticisms of anti-law-enforcement rhetoric. “Disgusting smears like these are leading to a 1000% increase in assaults against our brave law enforcement.”

The controversy comes as ICE faces what DHS has described as a sharp uptick in assaults against its personnel. Officials said the agency has seen a dramatic rise in violence targeting immigration enforcement officers, a trend that has fed into political rhetoric about the agency’s role and size. Omar, who has repeatedly criticized ICE, has called for abolishing or radically restructuring the agency. DHS officials framed the issue as a matter of public safety for officers and the communities they serve, arguing that mischaracterizations of ICE operations contribute to danger on the job.

In Massachusetts, the Mejia case that sparked Omar’s post drew scrutiny from local outlets that described the family behind the online dispute. NBC Boston reported that Mejia, described in coverage as an illegal immigrant, was said to have not stopped for police during a traffic encounter and had been followed by a family member before returning to his residence in Leominster. Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra quoted Mejia’s wife as saying the family later recovered the child and that Mejia was detained two days after the incident and is being held in Plymouth, Mass. NBC Boston and Telemundo emphasized the evolving and sometimes contradictory accounts surrounding the family and the events in the days leading up to Omar’s post.

The shooting in Dallas occurred Wednesday morning when a gunman opened fire at an ICE facility, killing one detainee and injuring another before taking his own life. Investigators identified the suspect as Joshua Jahn, 29. Authorities said the three detainees were inside an unmarked transport van at the time of the attack, and one detainee who survived the shooting remained in critical condition. DHS and ICE said Jahn fired indiscriminately at the facility and at a van in the sally port before dying by suicide. Authorities did not immediately release a motive, and the investigation continued as agents sought to determine how the attacker was able to reach the facility and whether the incident was connected to broader anti-ICE rhetoric.

Following the attack, McLaughlin underscored the need to protect law-enforcement personnel, posting on X to offer prayers for victims and to condemn violence against ICE employees. “Like everyone else, our ICE law enforcement officers just want to go home to their families at night,” she said. “They are fathers and mothers. Sons, and daughters, brothers and sisters. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women must stop.” Her comments reflected a broader DHS message that officers who enforce immigration laws should not be targeted for political rancor or misinformation.

The Fox News article summarizing the row over the 5-year-old-girl claim credited the report to a chain of posts and statements that amplified the controversy surrounding ICE and Omar’s stance on abolition. Fox News Digital attributed the piece to a team of reporters and editors who covered the unfolding dispute as part of ongoing coverage of immigration policy and its political ramifications. In response to requests for comment, Omar’s office did not provide a timely statement by publication time. The episode illustrates how a single allegation — whether substantiated or not — can become a flashpoint in a high-stakes policy debate about immigration enforcement, federal law enforcement legitimacy, and the safety of officers on the front lines.

In the Dallas investigation, authorities indicated they would pursue all leads as they assess whether the shooting was isolated or connected to broader threats against ICE. Investigators cautioned that details could change as evidence is collected, including the exact sequence of events inside the facility and the motive behind Jahn’s actions. The case has intensified questions about how to protect federal facilities and personnel in a climate of heightened political rhetoric and frustration over immigration policies.

As this episode unfolds, officials reiterated that mischaracterizations of ICE operations can have dangerous consequences for officers and those they interact with. They emphasized that law enforcement personnel risk harm when rhetoric reaches levels that dehumanize or demonize those who enforce the law. The incident in Dallas, combined with the ongoing public debate over ICE’s role, underscores the tension between security concerns and political critique in U.S. immigration policy.

Fox News Digital contributors and editors involved in the coverage noted that the article about the so-called bait image was part of a broader pattern of reporting aimed at scrutinizing the agency’s practices and its leadership. The evolving story places additional pressure on lawmakers and DHS officials to address concerns about safety, accountability, and the balance between enforcing immigration laws and protecting civil liberties. The situation remains under investigation as officials seek to verify every detail and to determine what, if any, policy changes or operational adjustments are warranted in the wake of the Dallas incident and the accompanying public dispute.