July 1, 2025

Nationwide Rise in Fake ICE Agents and Vehicles

By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

July 1, 2025

MOBILE Ala. Nationwide there has been a rise in Fake ICE agents and ICE vehicles.

Federal law enforcement hasn’t determined any one specific reason why it’s happening but is warning people that if they’re caught impersonating a federal law enforcement agent they will face serious consequences including prison time.

California, Washington State, Pennsylvania, New York, and Florida are just a few states where fake ICE agents or vehicles have been spotted.

Recently in Washington State, local and federal officers were looking for an impostor allegedly posing as a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration agent. The impersonator was caught on surveillance camera driving a vehicle with the word “ICE” on it in the parking lot of a Ukrainian market in Fife.

“The vehicle had predominant decals that had a similarity to the U.S. Department of Homeland emblem, and large letters ICE which, of course, implies the Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said Assistant Chief Doug Newman of the Fife Police Department.

The vehicle was seen circling the parking lot of a market that is patronized by Ukrainians.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed the vehicle did not belong to DHS.

Ilya Kukhar, 26, was later apprehended and charged in March for impersonating an ICE officer.

Another fake ICE agent was spotted by a driver who saw a vehicle with ICE logos driving on Interstate 95 entering Florida from Georgia and called the police when he saw that the vehicle’s license plate was not a government tag but rather a regular passenger vehicle license plate instead. He posted pictures of it on social media.

In Huntington Park California, police responded to a parking complaint and saw what they thought was an unmarked police SUV illegally parked. A man soon approached them identifying himself as an agent with US Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

24-year-old Fernando Diaz, had a loaded firearm, law enforcement-style documents, red and blue lights, and other police paraphernalia but he was not a law enforcement agent with any police agency.

He also had documents bearing the letterhead of Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection.

Further investigation revealed Diaz had an outstanding warrant for driving under the influence and a prior arrest related to human smuggling. Officers arrested him on the scene. During a search of the vehicle, police say they recovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic firearm, two holsters, extra ammunition, three cellphones, multiple copies of passports not registered under his name, and documents bearing the letterhead of Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. Officers also say they found a sheet of federal radio codes and other materials they say may indicate criminal intent.

Last week in Pennsylvania, a man impersonated an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent to intimidate the employees of a Northeast Philadelphia auto repair center and steal about $1,000.

Robert Rosado, 54, allegedly donned a badge, radio, holstered handgun, and tactical vest reading “Security Enforcement Agent” when he entered the mechanic shop on the 6500 block of Harbison Avenue on June 8. Identifying himself as an immigration agent, he reportedly told workers that he would be taking undocumented employees into custody. According to Philly prosecutors, he then zip-tied the hands of a woman in the shop and took about $1,000 before fleeing the scene in an unmarked white van.
Law enforcement obtained the license plate information after collecting surveillance footage from the Mayfair neighborhood. They discovered that the car was registered to Rosado, and later connected him to two properties. In subsequent searches of those properties, investigators found a fake badge, zip ties, black radio, holster, and airsoft gun.
Rosado was charged with robbery, assault, false imprisonment, and other crimes Monday following his apprehension on June 18.

Some impersonators do it for the authority, and power that it gives them over others said Mike Powell, a retired federal agent.
Others do it out of hate for the people who have moved to this country and still others do it to commit other crimes such as robbery, rape, and extortion.

In South Carolina, a man pulled Latino men from a car, yelled they were “going back to Mexico,” and took their keys. In North Carolina, another posed as an ICE officer and told a woman she’d be deported unless she complied sexually.
And in Pennsylvania, two Temple University students wearing “ICE” shirts disrupted a residence hall and a dessert shop while falsely identifying themselves as federal agents.

Not only does this criminal activity pose a risk to those being accosted by fake law enforcement but also to any real law enforcement that spots what they believe is an immigration enforcement action and stops to “assist” these fake agents not realizing that they are not real law enforcement.

Fake cops have always been an issue across the country for decades but now it seems that even more people have become emboldened and seemingly unafraid of the severe consequences that they face for criminal impersonation and any other crimes that they commit while pretending to be law enforcement.