She thought it would be a routine arrest. Then it turned violent—fast.
The Story Begins in Bellevue
It was June 18 when a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) team, led by ICE agents in Omaha, closed in on a target: Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan national with confirmed ties to the violent Tren de Aragua transnational gang.
The plan was clear—detain the known criminal fugitive quietly and safely in the suburban city of Bellevue, Nebraska. But what unfolded was anything but routine.
A Violent Turn
As ICE special agents, supported by FBI counterparts, approached Hurtado-Cariaco, the situation escalated in seconds.
He threw an ICE agent to the ground, smashed her head into the pavement, and tore off her protective body armor.
The agent, whose identity is being withheld for security reasons, suffered serious head and arm injuries. She was rushed to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she received treatment and was later released to recover at home.
Another FBI agent was also injured in the encounter.
Who Is Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco?
Hurtado-Cariaco first entered the U.S. illegally in 2023. He was removed by Border Patrol, but under the Biden administration, he re-entered the U.S. illegally in 2024 and was released with a Notice to Appear.
Now, he faces federal charges of:
- Attempted murder of a federal officer
- Assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury
Arrested After Fleeing the Scene
Following the attack, Hurtado-Cariaco fled—but he didn’t get far. Within an hour, ICE and local law enforcement teams apprehended him still in the immediate area.
His arrest marked yet another flashpoint in what the Department of Homeland Security describes as a surge in violence targeting federal agents.
DHS Response: A Warning to Violent Offenders
“This Venezuelan national is a criminal illegal alien and Tren de Aragua gang member who violently attacked an ICE and FBI agent and has been charged with attempted murder,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a DHS statement.
A Symbol of the Bigger Fight
The Tren de Aragua gang, originating in Venezuela, has expanded rapidly throughout Latin America and into the U.S. Homeland Security officials consider them a significant transnational criminal threat, known for brutality and links to human trafficking, drug smuggling, and violent assaults.
This attack, DHS says, underscores the real dangers ICE and FBI officers face while enforcing immigration laws—especially when dealing with repeat offenders released under prior immigration policies.
The Agent Is Now Recovering
As for the ICE agent brutally assaulted in the line of duty—she is at home, recovering. Her agency and colleagues have rallied around her.
But the incident has revived sharp political debate over border security, release policies, and the threat of international gangs inside U.S. borders.
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