Female ICE Officer Injured in Alabama During Arrest of Previously Deported Fugitive
ALABASTER, Ala. – A federal deportation officer sustained injuries earlier this week during a violent struggle to apprehend a Mexican national in Shelby County, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Jose Emilio Ba-Ruiz, was taken into custody following a multi-agency manhunt involving the U.S. Marshals Service.
Violent Struggle and Pursuit
The incident occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, when officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), assisted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), conducted a targeted surveillance operation at a residence in Alabaster, Alabama. Authorities initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle registered to a foreign national departing the location.
According to the complaint filed in the Northern District of Alabama, a female ICE/ERO officer approached the passenger side of the vehicle where Ba-Ruiz was seated. After identifying himself, Ba-Ruiz was asked to exit the vehicle. The officer discovered a knife in his pocket and attempted to execute an arrest.
Ba-Ruiz allegedly resisted, engaging in a physical altercation with the officer. Federal prosecutors state that the suspect pushed the officer’s hands away with force, causing her to fall and strike her head on the ground. Ba-Ruiz then fled the scene on foot, escaping into a nearby wooded area. The injured officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is currently recovering.
Manhunt and Capture
Following his escape, Ba-Ruiz reportedly borrowed a phone from a stranger to arrange a getaway. A short time later, deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service observed a male suspect entering a Honda Accord near the site of the initial traffic stop. Officers intercepted the vehicle and discovered Ba-Ruiz hiding in the back seat. He was arrested without further incident and transported to the ICE Birmingham Office.
Suspect History and Rising Tensions
DHS officials described Ba-Ruiz as a “dangerous illegal alien” who had been previously deported and faces multiple charges related to driving under the influence.
The assault comes amid what DHS describes as a sharp rise in violence against federal immigration agents. “Assaulting law enforcement is a federal crime and a felony,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement following the arrest. “As our officers enforce the nation’s laws and remove criminal illegal aliens, they are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them.”
Legal Proceedings and Defense
Ba-Ruiz appeared in federal court Tuesday charged with assaulting a federal officer. If convicted, he faces significant prison time and subsequent reinstatement of his deportation order.
Legal experts note that despite the severity of the allegations, the judicial process remains in its early stages. Under U.S. law, the charges contained in the criminal complaint are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The Department of Justice has assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney John G. Camp to prosecute the case.
infowars.com
borderhawk.news
justice.gov
youtube.com
youtube.com
youtube.com
dhs.gov
ice.gov
