Honduran illegal immigrant charged with assaulting ICE officers with hammer during New Jersey traffic stop

A 27-year-old Honduran man has been charged with assaulting federal officers after allegedly swinging a hammer at ICE agents during a traffic stop in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. The case matters because prosecutors say the attack threatened officers carrying out an immigration enforcement operation; the allegations have not been proven in court.

Prosecutors say officers stopped Reinieri De Jesus Licona Amador after checking the registration of his truck and immigration records. The complaint alleges he took a hammer from a tool container, resisted attempts to restrain him and climbed onto the passenger-side door to swing at officers. They used pepper spray and brought him to the ground; he was arrested without injury. If convicted of assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.