ICE highlights 'best of the best' agents who jumped into action at crash sites

After a year in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically increased its operations under President Donald Trump and simultaneously faced an increase in attacks against officials, the agency is highlighting the "best of the best" agents for particularly heroic actions in the line of duty.

In a Friday statement, ICE said that "despite the obstacles they face, including record numbers of violent anti-ICE rioters assaulting law enforcement, terrorist attacks, and bounties placed on their heads, our courageous officers have proven their commitment to upholding the rule of law in the United States and making America safe again."

According to the agency, agents faced an increase of 1,347 percent in assaults and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against them. ICE blamed these increases on "lies and smears from sanctuary politicians and radical activists, and hoaxes spread by the media."

"Despite that, their heroic efforts have led to historic results, helping DHS remove more than 622,000 illegal aliens," ICE said, noting that tens of thousands of those removals were of criminal offenders, including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, terrorists and gang members.

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"That, coupled with more than 2 million illegal aliens who chose to self-deport, has created a cycle that benefits the American public," the agency said, adding, "As ICE continues to remove more illegal aliens, more illegal aliens wisely choose to self-deport and avoid arrest."

Among the stories highlighted by the agency was a July 11 incident in Philadelphia in which two ICE officers encountered a truck that had veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The agency said the pair "sprang into action, rescuing the driver and extinguishing an engine fire while waiting for emergency responders to arrive."

In Dallas, the agency said that ICE officers witnessed a pickup truck lose control after losing a tire, causing it to roll seven times and land upside-down. ICE said its officers and two bystanders pried open the truck's door and pulled the driver to safety.

On Sept. 25, ICE said that members of its Denver special response team saved another man's life by pulling him from a burning car along the highway. The agency said the team was en route to the Broadview, Illinois, processing facility on Sept. 25 when they approached the fiery aftermath of a multi-car highway collision.

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ICE said that "as smoke billowed from the small car, the officers responded quickly and discovered a man with his legs pinned under the dashboard inside, unconscious and covered in blood."

The agents broke the vehicle's window, extracted the man, and provided first aid before emergency responders arrived at the scene and transported him to a hospital.

In Nuevo, California, the agency said that on Oct. 2, an off-duty ICE officer discovered a man suffering from a serious neck wound and quickly provided lifesaving aid to him while instructing his son to call 911.

ICE said the officer used his own first-aid kit and applied a pressure bandage to control the heavy bleeding and stabilize the victim before first responders arrived to transport the victim to a hospital.

Just weeks later, on Oct. 21, the agency said that an ICE deportation officer was conducting enforcement actions in Philadelphia when he heard multiple gunshots nearby. According to the agency, the officer then saw three juveniles fleeing the area and discovered a man who had been shot in the left thigh. ICE said that he and officers from the Philadelphia Police Department applied a tourniquet, and local police drove the man to a nearby hospital for treatment.

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Commenting on these stories, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that "courage is measured by actions, not words."

"Every day, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] officers show up knowing the risks they face - and they choose to serve anyway," said Lyons. "And throughout the year, officers across the agency demonstrated professionalism, restraint and courage in moments that demanded all three."

"These stories remind us that law enforcement is about responsibility to the communities we serve, and I'm incredibly proud to be part of this organization," he added.