Chicago, Illinois - A US immigration enforcement agent shot dead an undocumented migrant in Chicago on Friday after the man tried to resist detention by driving his car into the officer, authorities said.

The incident in Chicago – a flashpoint in President Donald Trump's aggressive campaign to clamp down on crime and migrants without papers – was a rare fatal encounter between the heavily armed agents and their targets.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the man "refused to follow law-enforcements commands and drove his car at law enforcement officers" during a traffic stop by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

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"One of the ICE officers was hit by the car and dragged a significant distance. Fearing for his own life, the officer fired his weapon," the statement said.

According to authorities, the man targeted for detention had "a history of reckless driving. He entered the country at an unknown date and time."

The Trump administration has dramatically expanded the size of ICE to spearhead a controversial nationwide sweep for people who are in the US without visas.

Groups of ICE agents – often masked and wearing a mixture of military garb and civilian clothing – have been frequently filmed detaining people in streets and businesses across the country.

The raids fulfill a key campaign promise in Trump's November election win, but are deeply unpopular, according to opinion polls, as criticism grows that the Republican president seeks authoritarian powers.