Federal prosecutors are sending a clear message: using a vehicle as a weapon against law enforcement will not be tolerated—especially when it involves illegal migrants tied to foreign criminal organizations.
The Department of Justice announced criminal charges Monday against Luis Nino-Moncada, a Venezuelan national living illegally in the United States, accusing him of deliberately ramming a Border Patrol vehicle during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Portland, Oregon. According to prosecutors, Nino-Moncada repeatedly drove a vehicle into a law enforcement car, placing Border Patrol agents in serious danger and damaging federal property.
Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t mince words.
“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department,” Bondi said, adding that Nino-Moncada—described as an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization—should never have been in the country in the first place and will not walk free in America again.
Agents initially targeted a vehicle owned by Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, another Venezuelan national living illegally in the U.S. Prosecutors allege she is involved in a Tren de Aragua-linked prostitution ring. Zambrano-Contreras was seated in the passenger seat when agents ordered Nino-Moncada to exit the vehicle. Instead of complying, he allegedly put the car in reverse and intentionally slammed into a Border Patrol vehicle, repeatedly shifting forward and backward to continue the attack.
Acting in self-defense, Border Patrol agents fired, sending both suspects to the hospital. According to the DOJ, one agent told FBI investigators he feared Nino-Moncada would strike him or other agents with the vehicle. After the assault, the suspects fled the scene before being apprehended.
Prosecutors say Nino-Moncada later admitted he intentionally hit the Border Patrol car in an effort to escape and acknowledged knowing the vehicle belonged to immigration enforcement. He now faces charges including aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon and depredation of federal property exceeding $1,000.
DHS records show Nino-Moncada illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. Zambrano-Contreras illegally crossed the border in 2023 and was also released. She is suspected of involvement in a prior shooting in the Portland area.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day became emotional during a press conference Friday, confirming both individuals shot by Border Patrol were linked to Tren de Aragua, while expressing hesitation about disclosing criminal backgrounds—a moment that said more than words ever could.
This violent incident comes amid a disturbing surge in attacks on federal immigration agents. According to DHS, ICE officers have faced 66 vehicular attacks since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, representing a staggering 3,200% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
The case underscores exactly why President Trump’s push for stronger border enforcement and unwavering support for law enforcement matters. Accountability is finally being restored, violent criminals are being charged, and federal agents are being backed instead of blamed. That commitment to law, order, and public safety is a step in the right direction—and a positive sign that America is once again taking the protection of its communities seriously.
