A Dallas man was arrested [1] this week after posting a TikTok video offering bounties for the murders of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, federal prosecutors and Homeland Security officials said.
Federal authorities identified the suspect as 23-year-old Eduardo Aguilar, a Mexican national residing in Dallas.
Aguilar was charged by federal complaint for transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat, stemming from a TikTok post on Oct. 9, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas said Thursday.
According to court records cited by prosecutors, Aguilar’s TikTok post contained Spanish-language text that translated to: “I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who aren’t afraid to [two skull emojis].”
Prosecutors say the skull emojis are commonly used to signify the word “die.” A second line of text in the post, shown in red and white, stated, “10K for each ICE agent,” the complaint says.
Homeland Security posted on X that Aguilar “offered $10,000 bounties on TikTok for the murder of our brave ICE agents” and confirmed the arrest in Dallas. The message added that Aguilar had been in possession of a firearm and noted, “We are thankful this criminal who had a firearm in his possession was arrested before he could kill one of our law enforcement officers.”
Eduardo Aguilar, the illegal alien who offered $10,000 bounties on TikTok for the murder of our brave ICE agents, has been ARRESTED in Dallas, TX.
We are thankful this criminal who had a firearm in his possession was arrested before he could kill one of our law enforcement… pic.twitter.com/epYc3VaFS1 [2]
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 17, 2025 [3]
Aguilar appeared in federal court on Wednesday and was ordered detained in federal custody pending further proceedings, officials said.
He faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison if convicted on the charge of transmitting a threat in interstate or foreign commerce.
“Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable,” Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson said in the Northern District of Texas statement.
“All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible,” Larson added.
The arrest follows an investigation by Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement agencies into the social-media post.
Prosecutors said the complaint and charging documents reflect evidence gathered from the post and related investigative steps.
Federal law bars transmitting threats through interstate commerce, including threats made via social media platforms that cross state or national lines.
Prosecutors emphasized that the alleged post targeted federal officers and that the case will proceed through the federal court system.
Aguilar’s arrest drew attention on social media after federal and law enforcement accounts highlighted the charges and the alleged content of the TikTok post.
Aguilar, who is accused of offering $10,000 for hits on ICE agents, was found with a loaded 9mm handgun in his car when he was arrested, DHS said. The department notes that it’s a felony for undocumented immigrants to have guns in the U.S. https://t.co/tTWU71vX9o [4]
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) October 18, 2025 [5]
Officials said the suspect was taken into custody without incident and that he remains detained pending further court action.
The Northern District of Texas statement did not name a defense attorney for Aguilar.
Court records show the case was initiated by a federal complaint; prosecutors may seek additional charges depending on the outcome of the investigation and any further evidence.
The incident adds to a string of cases in which law enforcement has investigated violent threats made online.
As the case moves forward, authorities will continue to review evidence and pursue appropriate charges under federal law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it will prosecute threats against law enforcement “to the fullest extent possible,” and local officials urged the public to allow the justice system to handle the matter through established legal channels.