A 30-year-old undocumented immigrant who rammed an ICE vehicle and was shot during a December confrontation in Maryland received a sentence of time served after pleading guilty to a federal charge, concluding a case that highlights the dangers federal immigration officers face during enforcement operations.

Federal Sentencing Following Christmas Eve Incident

Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins received credit for 103 days already served in federal custody and must pay $1,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Federal prosecutors had requested a six-month prison term for endangering federal officers, but the court accepted defense arguments emphasizing no injuries occurred to other individuals. Additional charges of resisting and interfering with federal officers were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

What Happened During the Arrest Attempt

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers located Sousa-Martins on December 24, 2025, after tracking his white van from a Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot in Severn to a residential property in Glen Burnie where he was performing electrical work. When officers blocked the vehicle and demanded he exit, Sousa-Martins refused. Officers broke the van window to extract him, but he backed into an officer’s vehicle before driving forward toward additional vehicles and personnel. Three ICE officers discharged their weapons, striking him in the shoulder and thigh, causing the van to crash between two homes. The incident resulted in $17,000 in combined damage to two ICE vehicles.

Background and Immigration Status

Sousa-Martins told the court he feared for his life during the encounter, stating he saw guns but could not confirm whether the individuals were police or immigration authorities. He entered the United States in 2008 and attended high school in New Jersey before relocating to the Baltimore area in 2020. Court documents reveal he held multiple jobs, purchased residential property, and had begun taking steps toward obtaining U.S. citizenship. Despite completing his criminal sentence, Sousa-Martins now faces immigration proceedings that could result in deportation from the country where he has lived for nearly two decades.