Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested a California man accused of sending a death threat to the agency's acting director, the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday.
Daniel Barber, a U.S. citizen, was arrested April 10 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents in San Francisco, according to DHS. Authorities allege Barber sent a threatening email on June 6, 2025, targeting Todd Lyons, acting ICE director, and other agency personnel.
In the email, Barber used explicit language and called for violence against ICE officers, writing that agents "deserve" to be executed, according to DHS. He also expressed hope that Americans would "start rising up" and carry out such attacks.
Federal officials said the message prompted an investigation that identified Barber as the sender. He faces potential federal charges related to making threats against a federal official.
DHS officials highlighted Barber's criminal record, which includes a conviction for murder and robbery with intent to cause bodily harm in 1990, as well as arrests for burglary, battery, and vehicle theft.
"This convicted murderer sent this disgusting death threat to ICE Director Todd Lyons," Lauren Bis, DHS acting assistant secretary of public affairs, said in a statement.
"The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop."
Authorities did not immediately provide details on what charges Barber may face or whether he has a lawyer.
The arrest comes amid what DHS described as a sharp rise in threats and attacks against immigration enforcement personnel.
According to department figures, ICE officers have experienced a more than 1,300% increase in assaults, an 8,000% increase in death threats, and a more than 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks.
The department attributed the trend in part to rhetoric comparing ICE officers to historical oppressive forces, saying such characterizations can contribute to hostility toward law enforcement.
ICE officers play a central role in enforcing federal immigration law, including the arrest and removal of foreign nationals accused or convicted of serious crimes, DHS said.
Officials emphasized that threats against federal officers are taken seriously and will be investigated and prosecuted.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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