A US police officer and a suspect were injured Tuesday when an ICE officer opened fire during a immigration check in Los Angeles, the government announced.

The incident occurred as several ICE agents attempted to arrest an "illegal alien" during an operation supported by U.S. marshals, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security.

"The illegal alien used his vehicle as a weapon and began ramming the police vehicle in an attempt to escape," she said on social media.

"Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers followed their training and fired defensive shots," she said.

"The illegal alien was hit in the elbow," and one of the marshals "was injured in the hand by a ricocheting bullet. Both are in the hospital."

Footage of the incident shows one vehicle surrounded by three others.

The use of law enforcement vehicles to immobilize cars has become commonplace in recent months, as immigration enforcement raids have intensified to fulfill President Donald Trump's promises of mass deportations.

In several documented cases, officers claimed to have been struck, but videos later emerged showing them striking the targeted suspect's car.

Last week, an activist in Ventura County, near Los Angeles, was arrested after a collision in which officers blamed him. Witness footage, however, shows their vehicle deliberately ramming the suspect's vehicle.

In Chicago, a woman was recently arrested after allegedly ramming an official car, but her lawyers argued that she was the one hit by officers.