An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in New Jersey was reportedly struck by a vehicle and shot at the car as it fled the scene on Monday morning, according to local authorities.

The police department of Stafford Township said in a statement that it had been provided with information that ICE “was attempting to apprehend a suspect when the suspect fled from the scene in a vehicle, striking [an ICE agent]”.

“The agent discharged his firearm at the vehicle, reportedly striking it. The suspect fled the scene in the vehicle and has not been located at this time.

“The agent reportedly sustained unknown injuries, and it is unknown if the suspect was injured at this time.”

Stafford police added that “there is no reason to believe there is any concern for the public’s safety.”

Monday’s case reportedly occurred at 9.30am, the police said. It came less than a week after Donald Trump signed a new law giving ICE and other agencies within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) roughly $70bn in additional funding for the mass deportation campaign that he has led since the start of his second presidency in early 2025.

That law’s passage capped off a months-long legislative standoff that precipitated the longest ever DHS shutdown, as Democrats pushed for reforms after immigration agents killed two US citizens – Alex Pretti and Renee Good – in Minneapolis in January.

Stafford police said they were not assisting in the ICE operation at the time of Monday’s confrontation. They said they were only managing traffic and securing the scene at the center of the case as the investigation was ongoing.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.