FBI investigates Dallas ICE office shooting as targeted violence

The FBI is investigating Wednesday's shooting at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility as targeted violence, with early evidence showing anti-ICE messages found near the suspected shooter.

"FBI is investigating this incident as an act of targeted violence," FBI Special Agent Joseph Rothrock, head of the Dallas Field Office, told reporters.

He said the early evidence from bullets found near the suspected gunman contained anti-ICE messages.

Police responded to the ICE detention facility near Interstate 35E highway at approximately 6.40 am (1140GMT).

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said they saw four individuals were shot, with two deceased, including the shooter, when they arrived to the scene.

"The DPD (Dallas Police Department) quickly was able to locate the shooter, who was deceased," he said. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on US social media company X that "the shooter is deceased by a self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Earlier, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News there are three known fatalities total. She said the victims are believed to be detainees, not law enforcement officers, with some injured in critical condition.

Rothrock confirmed that "no members of law enforcement were hurt during this attack."

Dallas Police said the suspect opened fire from an adjacent building, according to a preliminary investigation.

"This is an active investigation. There's still a lot of unanswered questions," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said.

- More aggressive immigration enforcement

The shooting comes amid significantly intensified ICE operations under US President Donald Trump's administration since his inauguration in January.

The US Homeland Security Department announced Tuesday that over 2 million undocumented immigrants have left the US since Jan. 20, including around 1.6 million voluntary departures and more than 400,000 formal deportations.

ICE operations target both undocumented immigrants and individuals with criminal records as part of the administration's expanded enforcement efforts.

Immigration advocates, however, say Trump had pledged to go after criminals, gang members, and terrorists among the immigrant population, but instead ended up targeting longtime law-abiding irregular migrants, including many with families and jobs.

They also complain of unlawful ICE detentions by agents wearing masks and refusing to provide identification.