February 15th, 2011
07:16 PM ET

ICE agent killed, another injured in Mexico shooting

[Updated at 8:14 p.m.] One of two American immigration and customs officers who were shot in Mexico on Tuesday has died, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.

The two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents were shot while driving between Monterrey and Mexico City on Tuesday afternoon by unidentified gunmen, U.S. officials said.

"One agent was critically wounded in this attack and died from his injuries. The second agent was shot in the arm and leg and remains in stable condition," DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a written statement.

The names of the agents weren't immediately released. It's not clear where the attack happened on the 567-mile route between the two cities.

According to ICE, the agency has about 30 officers assigned to its office in Mexico City. They work a range of issues, including drugs, weapons, currency and immigration.

An ICE official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said these were the first shootings of ICE agents in Mexico.

U.S. law enforcement agencies are working with Mexican authorities "to ensure the perpetrators of this unconscionable crime are captured as quickly as possible," Napolitano said.

"Let me be clear: Any act of violence against our ICE personnel - or any DHS personnel - is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety," Napolitano said. "The full resources of our department are at the disposal of our Mexican partners in this investigation. We remain committed in our broader support for Mexico's efforts to combat violence within its borders.

The Mexican government "vigorously condemns this serious act of violence and expresses its solidarity with the United States government and the families of those attacked," Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

- CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Nick Valencia contributed to this report.

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Filed under: Crime • Immigration • Mexico
soundoff (236 Responses)
  1. Robrob

    Wow, we don't know if it was a random act or premeditated.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:03 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Noro

    Stay out of other people's countries and everything will be just swell, as you yankees say

    February 15, 2011 at 9:04 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Tea sucks.

    Its not a hard subject to grasp, without the United States buying over 90% of the Cocaine from mexico, 70% of all the Meth used in the US comes from mexico, and 80-90% of the guns used in there war comes from the USA to Mexico. We finiance and supply there war. Be fair and balanced don't just use it as a slogan look at both sides of the coin

    February 15, 2011 at 9:10 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Southbelle8

    I am praying for their families. What a sad, sad day for them all. And extending a big thank you to those who protect our borders, both domestic and abroad. Without their tireless service, we would likely not have a forum like this for such crass responses to be posted.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:10 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Robert

    LEGALIZE DRUGS URGENTLY... OUR POLICY IS WRONG... ENOUGH.... NO MORE MAKING BUSINESS OUT OF SELLING WEAPONS TO BOTH ARMIES AND DRUG CARTELS.. WE ARE IN 21ST CENTURY.. WE WILL BE SEEN AS CAVEMEN IN THE FUTURE

    February 15, 2011 at 9:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • Wow... really?

      Yes we will all be seen as cavemen because of the idiots we let in power today, and the wave of even bigger idiots who vote them in, and let themselves be brainwashed all the time!

      February 15, 2011 at 9:18 pm | Report abuse |
  6. News Reader

    What I want to know is why doesn't Hollywood have a campaign against drugs? They support other causes like cancer research, AIDS, autism awareness, etc, etc, but I've never heard them speak against doing drugs. You hear about them going to drug rehab in the news everyday, but actors, singers, athletes and other entertainers are mute on this subject. Not ONE will stand up and campaign against drug use.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:12 pm | Report abuse |
  7. ScottBaio

    Looks like all that aid money we send to the Mexican government is solving everything. I'm sorry, but I think our leaders look stupid when they play a losing game of cat and mouse, while at the same time they act like they're doing everything possible. The US is protecting the poppy fields in Afghanistan where 80-90% of the world's heroin comes from. Then the US is buddy buddy with the Colombian government giving them billions of dollars with little reduction in cocaine trafficking. Eliminating both sources of cocaine and heroin is easier, cheaper, and more effective than buying influence in some banana republic. Its ok people are just dying. No big deal.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:13 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Glem Pashni

    Yes, Robert. You have a valid point. But if you can't feel the love of the lord coming inside you, it makes no difference.

    They will wave the black vibratior and evil.

    That's the whole problem. See?

    February 15, 2011 at 9:17 pm | Report abuse |
  9. David A

    From the sound of it, no US offical has ever died outside of the US.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:18 pm | Report abuse |
  10. David Hanson

    I was driving in Mexico and came to a temporary roadblock in the middle of nowhere. None of the vehicles had any kind of emergency markings or lights – just regular vehicles. The men were not uniformed and did not show I.D. and were holding every different kind of guns; shotguns, rifles, uzis. They searched my car and then let us go. They were looking for guns but I never found out who they were and if they were law enforcement or some kind of gang. They wouldn't answer any of my questions. That's over ten years ago and what used to be a regular vacation for me, and since then I have not and will not enter Mexico.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:18 pm | Report abuse |
  11. atx25

    I hope the US really puts pressure on the Mexican gov to do sometihng. I hope they do not just let this go. I also found this news story of Mexican military entering the US today and the local police department applauding this act. What the heck is going on? here is the link: http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/mexican-troops-conduct-vehicle-search-on-us-soil/question-1515743/

    February 15, 2011 at 9:18 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Please....

    I'm a mexican american and i have to admit that mexico is falling apart. mexico's goverment has always been corrupted just like President Calderon. i say mexico should burn all its prison inmates ,and all the big caliber weapons that get confiscated from criminals should be given to the local cops since criminals have better weapons than the mexican cops.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:19 pm | Report abuse |
  13. ScottBaio

    @Robert: Maybe the US should just go after the source instead of middlemen. They have NO intentions of making drugs legal nor do they have any intentions of truly stopping their manufacture. Wake up buddy. Look around you. What problems are being solved? None. They have no intentions of fixing anything. They need us to need them in perpetuity. FOREVER. Btw we tried having legal drugs and it didn't work out so well. Pot isn't that bad but I don't want to see 15 year old girls sucking (0(K for legal meth. Maybe you do?

    February 15, 2011 at 9:20 pm | Report abuse |
  14. billolon

    Mexico doesnt accept help from other country, is a traumatized country after losing half of his countryland...
    mexicans arent corrupt, just they dont have modern laws and economic's modern rules such as USA so they cant really improve fast their economic situation, sad
    mexicans cant make a revolution like egypt and other places because the eaisest way is to come America and feed their families, is not about race or people is about geography!

    February 15, 2011 at 9:21 pm | Report abuse |
  15. War drums

    Wake up people. Mexico is just as screwed up as the good 'ole US of A but it's just stuffed into a smaller space. Everybody is making such a big deal about the drug cartels but what about all of the US ghettos where officers and good people are getting killed everyday?! Maybe you should worry about your own backyards before throwing stones into anothers. I visit Mexico often, I am a white american and own houses in both Mexico and Arizona. I will not stop going there because of media hype. You are all sheep.

    February 15, 2011 at 9:21 pm | Report abuse |
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