A Mississippi-based attorney, Lisa White, was taken into custody in Long Beach following an incident at a local firearm retailer. According to federal reports, White allegedly expressed intent to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while inquiring about weapon effectiveness against body armor.
The High Caliber Guns encounter and the threat to ICE agents
On September 23, an interaction at High Caliber Guns sparked a federal investigation after a customer made explicit threats against federal law enforcement. The Sun Herald reported that Lisa C. White, a Florida attorney residing in Mississippi, entered the shop around 11:30 a.m. seeking a firearm and pepper spray for protection during protests. White reportedly identified herself as an activist and protester, claiming she needed protection because she believed ICE agents were becoming "crazy and wild."
The criminal complaint alleges that White, while discussing weaponry, gestured toward her own torso to inquire about the effectiveness of firearms against ballistic vests. if the weapons could not penetrate the armor, she allegedly stated she would instead target the heads, shoulders, arms, or legs of the agents. When a store employee warned her that pointing a gun at law enforcement would likely result in her death, White reportedly responded, "If I have to die, I have to die." After the shop declined to complete the sale, White left the premises empty-handed, leading to her eventual arrest in Long Beach by HSI Gulfport special agents.
An 8,000% surge in threats against HSI personnel
This arrest occurs against a backdrop of what federal authorities describe as a massive and dangerous spike in violence directed at immigration officials. As reported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency has documented an 8,000% increase in threats against its personnel, alongside a 3,300% rise in vehicle attacks and a 1,600% increease in physical assaults. These figures suggest a growing trend of targeted hostility toward federal agents.
Matthew Reidell, the HSI Gulfport Assistant Special Agent in Charge, noted that the safety of personnel is paramount and commended the vigilance of the citizens involved. The agency's recent communications on X suggest that the current administration, including President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, has signaled a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence against law enforcement. The federal charge being prepared against White—influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threat—reflects the severity with which these verbal threats are being treated by the Department of Homeland Security.
The legal threshold for the federal retaliation charge
While the arrest is a significant development, several aspects of the case remain under investigation or unverified. It is currently unclear whether White's remarks were a spontaneous outburst of political frustration or part of a more organized, premeditated plan to commit violence. The prosecution will need to establish a direct link between her statements and a specific intent to impede federal duties to secure a conviction on the retaliation charge.
Furthermore,the investigation has not yet addressed whether White's professional standing as a Florida attorney will lead to disciplinary action by the state bar. the source also leaves open the question of whether White has a history of similar behavior or if this incident was an isolated event. While HSI has praised the "citizen vigilance" that led to the arrest,the full scope of the investigation into White's alleged activist ties remains undisclosed.
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