Man Arrested in Dallas for Allegedly Threatening ICE Facility with Bomb Hoax Amid Rising Attacks Against Agency

A 35-year-old US citizen identified as Bratton Dean Wilkinson was apprehended Monday night in Dallas following an alleged bomb threat at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the incident occurred at approximately 6:37 p.m., when Wilkinson approached a security officer, displaying a device on his wrist that he claimed was a detonator.

The facility in question houses both the Dallas Field office and Enforcement and Removal Operations, as per DHS. In response, a shelter-in-place order was issued, and local law enforcement dispatched a bomb squad to handle the situation. The scene was cleared approximately 30 minutes later.

Wilkinson was taken into custody by local authorities and charged with making terroristic threats. The Dallas Police Department confirmed their involvement in the incident, noting that Wilkinson was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for false reporting to induce emergency response. Efforts are ongoing to determine if he has legal representation.

The arrest comes amidst heightened tensions surrounding ICE and its agents, who have faced backlash from both activists and politicians as they execute the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. The escalating hostility has led to increased security measures outside DHS facilities, particularly following incidents in Fort Worth and McAllen, Texas.

Recent weeks have seen a New York ICE office receive a suspicious package containing white powder, and an individual in San Francisco being arrested for assaulting federal agents during immigration enforcement operations.

A senior official from the DHS issued a statement linking these incidents to months of negative rhetoric by activists, politicians, and media outlets that have likened ICE law enforcement to Nazi Gestapo, kidnappers, and secret police. The official stated that such rhetoric has contributed to an environment of hate towards law enforcement, leading to a significant increase in assaults against officers. The official called upon sanctuary politicians, activists, and media outlets to tone down their language.

Previously, the DHS had warned of escalating assaults against officers, reporting that attacks had risen over 400% in May and up to 800% in July. The agency is now reporting a 1,000% increase in such incidents.