A Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally in 2024 now faces federal charges after allegedly assaulting a Homeland Security agent and grabbing the officer’s service weapon during a violent struggle outside a Michigan business, according to a Justice Department criminal complaint filed this week.
High-Speed Chase Ends in Physical Confrontation
Arnoldo Jose Marquez-Pulido, 33, came under surveillance by the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Task Force after agents received information that individuals living in the country illegally were working as delivery drivers at a business in Utica, Michigan. When agents attempted a routine traffic stop on March 4, 2026, Marquez-Pulido briefly pulled over before fleeing at high speed, then returned to the business location and fled on foot.
NEW: An illegal immigrant from Venezuela is accused of grabbing a Homeland Security agent's firearm while trying to evade arrest in a Michigan Sam's Club, according to the DOJ.
Arnoldo Jose Marquez-Pulido thankfully lost control of the gun as the agent tackled him to the ground.… pic.twitter.com/JrfmvJeWln
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) March 11, 2026
An HSTF agent tackled Marquez-Pulido after he ignored commands to stop and attempted to enter the business. During the struggle, prosecutors say the Venezuelan national struck the agent in the face with his elbow and reached for the agent’s Glock 19 pistol. He successfully removed the gun from the holster and briefly wielded it before the agent regained control. Additional officers recovered the weapon from the ground as Marquez-Pulido continued to resist arrest.
Officers Injured, Suspect Held Without Bond
Two federal agents required hospital treatment following the incident. The primary agent sustained a contusion to his elbow, abrasions to his knees and hands, and a contusion to his cheek. A second agent suffered a knee contusion. Both were treated and released. Federal prosecutors are seeking to hold Marquez-Pulido in custody pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to law enforcement and the community.
Rising Assaults on Immigration Officers
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon of the Eastern District of Michigan rejected narratives that portray all individuals in the country illegally as harmless. He emphasized that high-speed flight from arrest, fighting federal agents, and grabbing an officer’s gun represent serious dangers to Americans. The case comes as DHS and ICE officials report a sharp increase in assaults on officers during immigration enforcement operations. Marquez-Pulido is believed to have entered the United States at a San Ysidro, California port of entry in 2024 without a visa or valid travel documents, highlighting ongoing border security challenges that remain a priority for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.