Donald Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Identify and Prosecute New Yorkers Involved in Snowball Incidents Targeting ICE Agents, Calling It an ‘Assault on Federal Authority’

Trump Orders Immediate Identification and Prosecution After Snowballs Thrown at ICE Agents in NYC

President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering federal authorities to identify and prosecute individuals involved in throwing snowballs at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a recent winter storm in New York City. The move has sparked debate nationwide over the boundaries of federal authority, the seriousness of the incident, and the politics of law enforcement in major cities.

The incident occurred earlier this week outside a federal facility in Manhattan, where ICE personnel were reportedly entering vehicles when a small group of civilians began pelting them with snowballs. The individuals fled before they could be detained. There were no reported injuries, but video clips posted on social media quickly went viral, framed by some users as lighthearted and by others as a symbolic act of protest.

Within 24 hours, the White House issued a strongly worded response. “Targeting federal officers in any capacity is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the statement said. The administration characterized the snowball incident as “a deliberate act of harassment against federal agents performing lawful duties.”

Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One, criticized what he described as a culture of “disrespect for federal authority” in certain cities, naming New York specifically. “If people think they can attack ICE officers—even with snowballs—and walk away without consequences, they’re wrong,” he said. “These individuals will be found and they will be prosecuted.”

According to senior administration officials, both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been instructed to review camera footage, interview witnesses, and collaborate with local law enforcement. However, it remains unclear how aggressively New York City agencies will comply. City officials, who have historically clashed with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement, signaled that they would “evaluate any federal requests within legal bounds.”

Civil liberties groups have questioned the proportionality of the federal response. The New York Civil Liberties Coalition issued a statement calling the directive “another example of political theater,” arguing that the resources being directed toward a snowball incident could be better used addressing serious crimes. “Escalating a childish act into a federal case does not make communities safer,” the statement read.

Supporters of the administration argue that the directive is less about the snowballs themselves and more about the message being sent. “Federal officers have been increasingly targeted and disrespected,” said a former DHS official. “Drawing a hard line, even in an unusual situation like this, signals that the government takes the safety of its agents seriously.”

Legal experts are divided over how the case could proceed. Some note that federal statutes allow prosecution for interference with federal officers, regardless of the object thrown, while others argue that prosecutors would need to demonstrate actual intent to harm or obstruct—an element that could be difficult to prove in what appears to be a spontaneous prank or protest.

As investigations continue, no suspects have been identified publicly, and no charges have been filed. Meanwhile, the snowball incident has already spawned hundreds of memes online and become a flashpoint in ongoing national arguments over ICE, federal authority, and the relationship between Washington and large urban centers.

Whether the directive results in prosecution or fizzles out as a political moment remains to be seen. For now, the situation has transformed a seemingly small winter stunt into a conversation about the broader tensions defining American politics in the Trump era.