Dallas ICE Facility Subject to Bomb Threat, Suspect Apprehended

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement has arrested an individual following a bomb threat made against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas, Texas. The incident, which occurred on Monday evening, led to a temporary shelter-in-place order for the facility as authorities responded.

The Federal Protective Service received a report of a bomb threat at the Dallas ICE Field Office around 6:37 pm local time. A male subject, later identified as 36-year-old U.S. citizen Bratton Dean Wilkinson, approached the facility’s entrance and claimed to have a bomb in his backpack. He also displayed what he stated was a detonator on his wrist to a security officer. In response to the threat, a shelter-in-place was enacted for the building, and local police, including a bomb squad, were dispatched to the scene after being called to 911.

The suspect was taken into custody by local law enforcement and subsequently charged with making terroristic threats. The “all-clear” was given by police at approximately 7:19 pm local time, confirming the safety of the facility and its surroundings. The Dallas Field Office of ICE, which includes Enforcement and Removal Operations, is housed at this location.

This event in Dallas follows other recent incidents involving threats against ICE facilities and personnel. The Department of Homeland Security noted a separate incident earlier in the month where an ICE office in New York City received a threatening letter containing a white powdery substance. Additionally, a recent arrest in San Francisco involved an individual charged with assaulting an ICE officer and making threats against the officer and their family. These developments are occurring amidst heightened rhetoric that, according to a DHS official, has contributed to a significant increase in assaults against ICE officers.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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