Mother of Dallas ICE shooting suspect posted anti-gun rants targeting Texas GOP leaders before attack
Posts from May 2022 directed at Gov. Abbott and Sens. Cruz and Cornyn resurfaced as investigators described the Dallas shooting at an ICE facility.
The mother of Joshua Jahn, the gunman who killed two migrant detainees at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, posted a series of anti-gun messages on Facebook aimed at Texas Republican leaders in May 2022, a resurfaced thread that officials say underscores the broader public debate over gun policy in the state.
One post read: “Governor Abbott, Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz how does it make you feel that your action to open up gun laws is responsible for the killing of 21 more people?” The messages continued with an accusation that officials were benefiting from “the gun lobby” and money from the NRA, and chastised Abbott for his NRA rating. “Do you secretly sit in front of a tv and smile a demented smile? You must be proud of all the money that sits in your bank accounts from the gun lobby support. Was it worth it, Governor Abbott? How about you senators?” she wrote. “Here is my hope: May you be reminded of the deaths every time you spend that precious blood money you have received from the gun lobby. Hope you think of it 100% when you attend the NRA meeting in a few days.” “Senator Cornyn, I realize you suddenly had something in DC come up where you won’t be attending. It’s unfortunate you don’t even have the spine to stand up to the NRA and tell them the real reason you aren’t attending. You are a coward, a spineless coward.” The irate post also referenced Jacques Brel’s 1956 song “If We Only Have Love,” linking gun violence to a plea for peace. On May 27, 2022, Jahn shared lyrics from the same song: “If we only have love. We can melt all the guns. And give the new world. To our daughters and sons.”
Joshua Jahn fatally shot two people and critically wounded at least one other at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in the early hours of a Wednesday, authorities said. The victims were migrant detainees, officials confirmed, and no law enforcement officers were hurt. From the roof of a nearby building, the gunman fired at an unmarked van transporting the migrants to the short-term ICE facility, police said. Jahn turned the gun on himself as officers closed in. The message “ANTI-ICE” was scrawled on unspent shell casings found near his body.
The social-media posts were reported as investigators examined the circumstances of the attack. Authorities have not publicly stated a motive linking the posts to the shooting, and there has been no indication that the messages prompted or guided the violence, which occurred before Jahn’s body was found in the vicinity of the crime scene.
The incident occurred in Dallas, at an ICE facility used to process detainees, and drew immediate scrutiny of gun-policy narratives in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott and Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have long emphasized Second Amendment protections, a stance that Jahn’s posts criticized from the perspective of gun lobbying interests. The broader context includes ongoing national discussions about gun safety measures, political fundraising from gun-rights groups, and the influence of NRA ratings on elected officials.
Investigators have said the investigation remains active and that authorities are examining all facets of the case, including the suspect’s timeline, planning, and any potential ties between personal grievances and the attack. No update has indicated a direct link between the Facebook posts and the shooting, but the resurfaced messages are part of the broader public record surrounding the event.
At the scene, authorities described the gunman’s actions from a rooftop position as he fired at an unmarked van and then killed himself as police approached. The fallen included two migrants, with others injured, and a search of the area yielded unspent shell casings bearing the word “ANTI-ICE.”
The investigation continues as officials review the timeline and any potential connections between Jahn’s public statements, the political discourse around guns in Texas, and this fatal incident. As more details emerge, authorities will assess whether there were warning signs and what, if any, impact they may have had on the events at the Dallas ICE facility.
