FBI Arrests Chicago Man Over Threats to ICE, ‘Known Political Figures’

Federal agents in Illinois arrested a Downers Grove man on Friday morning after he allegedly made violent threats online against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and “well-known political figures,” including President Donald Trump.

Michael Stover, 33, was taken into custody in a suburban apartment parking lot around 10 a.m., according to court records reviewed by ABC7 Chicago. Shackled in U.S. District Court later that day, Stover was charged with a felony count of making a true threat against immigration and public officials.

The FBI’s Chicago office posted photos of the Joint Terrorism Task Force on the scene as the arrest unfolded.

A criminal complaint unsealed Friday details Stover’s disturbing online rhetoric. Earlier this year, he allegedly posted threats to kill ICE agents, while in April he targeted the president directly:

“The us president just said he wants to purpose build concentration camps for his political enemies. Its war right here and now against this attacker or we die in slavery. Put down your posters and selfie sticks and pick up a weapon!”

Prosecutors also allege that Stover posted a February photo of five rifle bullets labeled with the names of prominent U.S. political figures, positioned atop two hunting knives.

The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center flagged Stover’s activity and tipped off the U.S. Secret Service in May. Local authorities quickly moved against him. On May 7, the FBI and Downers Grove police submitted a “Clear and Present Danger” request that led Illinois State Police to revoke Stover’s Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.

The very next day, local officers responded to a 911 domestic-disturbance call at Stover’s residence. Police say he opened the door, shut it, and then reappeared with his hands raised — wearing an empty holster, a pocketknife, and a loaded magazine.

Inside, authorities discovered a significant arsenal: six handguns, five rifles, a shotgun, and ammunition, including the five rifle rounds marked with the names of political figures. State prosecutors, however, declined to pursue unlawful possession charges, and Stover was released.

Despite the intervention, prosecutors say Stover continued posting threats online. On July 7, he allegedly escalated his rhetoric, writing on Blue Sky:

“ICE is a terrorist organization. Share this if you think we should shoot them down like dogs.”

At his court appearance Friday, Stover identified himself as an air-conditioning worker. Prosecutors are seeking to hold him in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 10.

The case comes amid heightened concerns about political violence. Just last month, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the arrest of Nathalie Rose Jones, accused of threatening President Trump. Pirro warned at the time that threats against the commander-in-chief would be pursued aggressively.

Despite overwhelming evidence, a D.C. grand jury declined to indict Jones — even after President Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July 2024.

The uneven response highlights a troubling reality: while violent rhetoric against federal law enforcement and even the president is escalating, too often the political Left and its allies in the justice system seem reluctant to hold offenders fully accountable.