Dallas ICE shooting updates: Texas governor, JD Vance speak out

In an aerial view, an inmate walks through the courtyard at the Bluebonnet Detention Center on May 13 in Anson, Texas. ICE has begun transferring illegal immigrant detainees to the Bluebonnet Detention Center after U.S. District Judge Wesley Hendrix readily offered the facility to the Trump administration under the Alien Enemies Act.
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A shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas early Wednesday left three dead and one injured. The suspected shooter is among the deceased, officials said.

In a morning news conference, Joseph Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI field office, did not say whether the victims were detainees, but confirmed no law enforcement personnel were injured. The Associated Press later reported that the victims were detainees, according to Homeland Security.

Rothrock said the bureau is investigating the attack as an act of targeted violence at the same facility that officials said previously received a bomb threat.

"Early evidence that we’ve seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature," Rothrock said. "This is just the most recent example of this type of attack. This will be a whole of government response."

At the same news conference, Republican Senator Ted Cruz said, "divisive rhetoric tragically has real consequences."

"This needs to stop," Cruz said. "Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong."

Texas Gov. Abbott, Dallas mayor respond

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took to social media Wednesday to condemn the attack, reinforcing his support for ICE’s operations.

"This assassination will NOT slow our arrest, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants," Abbott said.

No law enforcement officers were injured and victims were identified as detainees.

Abbott also released an official statement emphasizing the same message and said the "cowardly" attack will not impede ICE operations.

"In other parts of the world, political violence grips countries after every change in leadership, strangling their nation, and putting lives at risk every day," the statement said. "America cannot and will not become a country prone to such violence."

During this morning’s press conference, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson asked for prayers for those killed and injured, as well as for the families of those involved.

"I’m going to ask you all to join me also in praying for this city, that we can come together in a time like this and that we can be there for one another the way we always have," Johnson said.

JD Vance: 'Praying for everyone'

Vice President JD Vance also condemned the attack on social media platform X and said he is "praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families."

Secretary of State Kristi Noem said ICE officers are facing "unprecedented violence" and called for the attacks to stop.

Other attacks on ICE in Texas

This isn’t the first attack on an ICE facility in Texas this year.

An Alvarado police officer was fatally shot at the Praireland Detention Center on July 4. Sixteen people have been charged in the case so far, with six women arraigned as recently as Monday on charges related to the killing.