A pair of 20-year-old New Jersey twins, Ricardo Antonio Roman-Flores and Emilio Roman-Flores of Absecon, were taken into custody after federal authorities alleged that the brothers issued explicit and violent threats against top Department of Homeland Security personnel. The accusations include chilling messages targeting DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin and sweeping threats to “shoot ICE on sight,” prompting immediate law-enforcement action.
Their arrests come at a time when threats against immigration officers have surged at unprecedented rates, creating growing concerns within federal agencies about the safety of their personnel. The Roman-Flores case has quickly become a focal point in discussions about extremism, online radicalization, and the consequences of weaponizing social media platforms against federal entities.
Escalating Online Threats and the Federal Investigation
According to DHS officials, the investigation began after authorities discovered a series of alarming posts attributed to the Roman-Flores brothers. These messages, shared across social media platforms, contained graphic threats directed at DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
One of the most cited messages called for Tricia McLaughlin to be “tarred, feathered, and hanged,” invoking imagery reminiscent of pre-Revolutionary War punishments historically used against individuals accused of betraying the public trust. The language and tone of the posts prompted investigators to treat the matter as more than rhetorical hostility, instead viewing it as a credible threat to the safety of a senior federal official.
Other posts reportedly included open calls for violence against immigration enforcement personnel, with statements encouraging the use of Second Amendment rights to “fire on ICE officers.” Authorities assessed the threats as deliberate and specific, calling for action against Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees in a manner that appeared designed to incite or encourage others to engage in similar acts. With the online activity intensifying, DHS pursued the case in coordination with local and federal law-enforcement agencies.
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Emilio Roman-Flores came under even greater scrutiny after police executed a search warrant and recovered multiple firearms from his residence. Among the seized items were an assault-style rifle, a shotgun, and several boxes of ammunition. The possession of these weapons not only heightened the sense of urgency surrounding the investigation but also led to additional charges for unlawful firearm ownership. The presence of weapons in proximity to online threats of violence formed a significant factor in authorities’ decision to restrict the twins’ access to the public.
Charges Filed Against the Roman-Flores Twins
The charges against the twins underscore the seriousness with which law-enforcement agencies treat threats against federal employees and national security officials. Emilio Roman-Flores faces a substantial list of charges, including unlawful possession of an assault weapon, possession of prohibited weapons, conspiracy terroristic threats, threats, criminal coercion, and cyber harassment. These charges reflect both the physical weapons found in his possession and the digital activity traced to him during the investigation. Authorities have pointed to the combination of explicit online threats and the presence of firearms as evidence that Emilio posed an elevated risk to public safety.
Ricardo Antonio Roman-Flores, while not found with weapons during the investigation, was charged with conspiracy terroristic threats. His digital activity reportedly demonstrated coordination with his twin brother in crafting or promoting online messages encouraging violence against government officials. The conspiracy charge indicates that authorities believe the brothers acted together in planning or encouraging the dissemination of threatening rhetoric.
FAFO!
— Blondelady2024 (@arva61138) December 10, 2025
🚨 BREAKING: Two New Jersey leftists were just ARRESTED for threatening to HANG DHS Assistant Sec. Tricia McLaughlin
They wanted to TORTURE and KlLL her, and "SH00T ICE agents on sight."
THIS IS THE LEFT. It has to STOP!
Emilio Roman-Flores is charged with unlawful… pic.twitter.com/FTM2ysCmXN
Both twins are currently being held by the Absecon Police Department as the legal proceedings continue. Their detention reflects an increasingly firm stance from DHS and other agencies regarding threats made toward their officers. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons released a statement addressing the situation, emphasizing that any threats against law-enforcement personnel will be met with swift legal consequences. His remarks underscored that federal authorities are prepared to act decisively whenever officers are targeted or intimidated, calling such threats an attack not only on individual employees but on the institutions charged with upholding national security.
Lyons’ statement also highlighted growing alarm within federal agencies about the sheer volume of threats directed at immigration enforcement personnel. In fiscal year 2025 alone, DHS reported an 8,000% increase in threats targeting ICE officers—an exponential rise linked to online platforms where violent rhetoric is increasingly common. Officials have noted that some threats have escalated beyond verbal hostility to include alleged bounties placed on the heads of officers, creating an unprecedented climate of danger for employees engaged in immigration enforcement duties.
Wider Implications and Growing Concerns Over Safety of DHS Personnel
The Roman-Flores case is emblematic of a larger trend that federal agencies are struggling to address: the rapid acceleration of violent rhetoric directed at government officials. With DHS reporting an 8,000% increase in threats toward ICE officers in a single fiscal year, the environment in which personnel operate has become more volatile than ever. Officials attribute this rise to a combination of political polarization, online radicalization, and the ease with which individuals can disseminate violent content without immediate repercussions.
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Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS Assistant Secretary who was specifically targeted in the alleged threats, has previously warned about the increasingly hostile landscape. In interviews, she noted that threats are no longer limited to anonymous online posts but have evolved into more organized and explicit forms, including instances in which suspects have reportedly placed monetary incentives on harming ICE officers. For personnel tasked with enforcing immigration laws, this creates a climate of persistent vigilance and concern for their own safety and that of their families.
Federal agencies have begun to deepen collaboration with local law enforcement to monitor, investigate, and prosecute threats more aggressively. The arrest of the Roman-Flores twins signals a strategic pivot in how DHS intends to approach cases involving calls for violence. Rather than treating threats as isolated incidents, authorities are evaluating the broader context, including access to weapons and the potential for individuals to incite wider violence. The discovery of firearms in Emilio’s possession provided a compelling argument for law enforcement to intervene early and decisively, seeking to prevent potential escalation.
The case also underscores the challenges social media platforms face in policing violent or extremist content. Posts encouraging violence against federal personnel often spread quickly and, if not identified promptly, can contribute to a broader culture of hostility. For law-enforcement agencies, monitoring these platforms has become an essential part of modern threat assessment, yet it requires significant resources and technological capability. With threats multiplying at unprecedented rates, DHS and ICE officials are calling for more robust digital monitoring mechanisms and faster reporting systems to ensure that potential dangers are addressed in real time.
For the public, the situation raises difficult questions about the intersection of free speech, online expression, and public safety. While individuals have the right to voice political opinions, the line between protected speech and actionable threat becomes clearer when messages explicitly advocate violence or target specific individuals. The Roman-Flores case illustrates how authorities interpret such situations, treating violent rhetoric as a form of criminal behavior when it poses a legitimate threat to federal officers.
As the legal process unfolds, the focus will remain not only on the charges against the Roman-Flores twins but also on the broader implications for national security, digital communication, and the limits of tolerated online behavior. Their arrest marks a significant moment in DHS’s ongoing efforts to address the rise in threats against its personnel and the broader challenge of ensuring the safety of those tasked with enforcing federal laws.
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