The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday corrected Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., over his portrayal of a viral image of an ICE officer apparently pointing a gun at an American citizen.

"This is out of hand. These agents are there to cause trouble and violence, not to keep people safe. These are the scenes that play out in war torn, destitute countries - not America," Durbin said, responding to the image.

"Here’s the real story: As Border Patrol was conducting a targeted enforcement, a vehicle started  aggressively trailing our officers and intentionally veered into their vehicle in an apparent attempt to ram law enforcement’s vehicle," posted DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

"Despite the barrage of violent attacks on [DHS] law enforcement, these agents fully followed their training—this is a pepper ball gun used for riot control without causing lethal injuries," she added. "Aggressors and violent activists who wish to harm and intimidate our officers should not be surprised when protective measures are displayed to prevent violence against our officers. We aren’t playing."

The incident occurred as anti-ICE activists have begun harassing agents in a bid to impede President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.