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An illegal immigrant has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers after he entered their Houston office parking lot carrying a knife and crack pipe, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
Jose Andres Rodriguez-Torres voluntarily identified himself as Mexican when officers approached him, ICE confirmed.
When he dropped to the ground, ICE agents noticed a sheathed knife at his waist before arresting him.
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Jose Andres Rodriguez-Torres had illegally entered the US five times and was previously released under prior policies (DHS)
Another search uncovered a glass pipe usually used to smoke crack cocaine.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the incident, calling it a stark reminder of the daily risks officers face.
“A criminal illegal alien—released by the Biden Administration and previously removed four times—armed with a knife in a restricted parking lot outside an ICE office in Houston,” McLaughlin said.
“These are the threats our officers face every day. Violence against federal law enforcement must end.”
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Jose Andres Rodriguez-Torres was arrested by ICE officers at their Houston office parking lot while carrying a knife and crack pipe during the incident. (Department of Homeland Security)
The Mexican national had been previously encountered by officers in Seattle in October 2024 following a burglary arrest but was released, ICE records show.
ICE records confirm Rodriguez-Torres has illegally entered the United States five times, making him a repeat offender under federal law, including one time in 2012 and three times in 2014 and another when he reentered the U.S. without inspection at an unknown date.
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ICE has not yet released the name of the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the hospital. (Getty Images)
Houston is home to one of the largest ICE field offices in the nation.
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Rodriguez-Torres’ arrest comes amid reports that threats and assaults against ICE officers have surged by more than 1,000% in recent years.
Rodriguez-Torres will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.