Trump amplifies DHS alert claiming Mexican criminal groups offered up to $50,000 to kill top ICE and CBP officials; calls situation ‘so bad’
Trump reposted a screenshot of DHS’s Oct. 14 tweet on his Truth Social account on Saturday, simply writing, “Too bad!” wrote.
DHS later reposted it and wrote “President Trump WILL MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN” and people were asking “how is this not a declaration of war?” regarding the alarming situation at the southern border. he wondered.
DHS warns of bounties targeting federal agents
The DHS alert and tweet, issued on October 14, 2025, stated that criminal groups in Mexico, in coordination with domestic extremist elements, had placed monetary rewards for the killing and harassment of federal immigration officers.
Intelligence reports suggest that gangs operating in Chicago neighborhoods such as Pilsen and Little Village work as “lookouts” to monitor ICE and CBP movements, according to the agency. DHS also detailed a tiered reward system offering $2,000 for agents who collect intelligence or disclose personal information. $5,000 to $10,000 for kidnappings or assaults. Up to $50,000 for assassinations of high-ranking officials. The report also alleged that Antifa-affiliated groups in Portland and Chicago provided logistical support, including the disclosure of personal information and protest coordination, to thwart federal operations.
DHS condemns ‘organized terror campaign’
“These criminal networks are not only resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
He added that agents face ambushes, drone surveillance and death threats while enforcing federal immigration law, and vowed that the administration “will not back down from these threats.”
US-Mexico relations and Trump’s war on drugs
The DHS allegations connect two longstanding targets of Trump-era policies, illegal immigrants and their advocates, including sanctuary cities, and Latin American drug cartels. Although these groups mostly operated separately, existing allegations suggest coordination between them.
Under the Trump administration, federal resources have been directed predominantly to immigration enforcement. Thousands of agents from agencies like the DEA and FBI have been redeployed to assist with ICE operations and National Guard troops have been deployed to sanctuary cities like Chicago and Portland, increasing tensions on the ground.
At the same time, drug cartels were labeled as terrorist organizations; this allows US forces to directly target them even outside US borders. In recent weeks, the White House has claimed to have sunk several suspected cartel-related drug boats in Caribbean waters near Venezuela.
