U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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ICE Targets App Delivery Drivers — and the Tech Giants They Work for Stay Silent

Angry residents of a Washington high-rise apartment building gathered as federal agents, backed by Metropolitan Police Department officers, swooped in to encircle a delivery driver last week.

https://theintercept.com/2025/08/26/trump-ice-immigrant-delivery-drivers-dc/?

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Immigrant detainees begin arriving at former prison in rural Tennessee town

Immigrant detainees have started arriving at a former Tennessee prison that’s been turned into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, the facility’s operator said. The arrivals come after city officials approved agreements with ICE and CoreCivic, despite loud objections from upset residents and activists during a contentious public meeting. Read more.

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Georgia ICE raid

More than 300 South Korean workers detained by immigration authorities in Georgia last week arrived home today on a chartered flight, ending a saga that has strained US-South Korea ties. A recent ICE raid at a Hyundai-LG Energy Solution plant in southeast Georgia sparked dismay in South Korea after workers were chained up during the raid and held in detention for days. South Korea's top diplomat then rushed to Washington to negotiate their release, while public fury swelled back home over what many see as a slap in the face from their longtime ally. It's not yet clear what lies ahead for the workers, or what the future of Korean investment in the US may look like.

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Many ICE Agents Lose Ability to Spy on Immigrants’ Payments to Family Back Home

For years, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes defended the Transaction Record Analysis Center, a secretive financial surveillance program that tracks wire transfers between the U.S. and Mexico sent via Western Union and other companies. As recently as April, in response to The Intercept’s reporting, her office brushed off fears that the Trump administration might use TRAC data to hit its deportation quotas.

https://theintercept.com/2025/09/15/ice-deport-wire-transfer-surveillance-trac/?

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Officials place Des Moines schools leader on leave after his arrest by immigration agents

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials put the leader of Iowa’s largest school district on administrative leave Saturday, a day after federal immigration agents arrested him because they said he was in the country illegally.

https://apnews.com/article/ice-des-moines-iowa-school-superintendent-8fbcf8353997c3a3bab10231c16cbf49?

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ICE impersonators

A CNN investigation has uncovered at least two dozen instances of people impersonating immigration officers in 2025 alone. The cases range from political agitators seeking to intimidate immigrants to others using the guise of authority to allegedly kidnap, rob or assault victims. Some experts and officials have attributed the rise in imposters to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics — including the use of masked agents. When agents wear masks, it creates confusion about how to identify real agents, critics argue. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last month making his state the first to ban agents from wearing masks during operations. However, the White House has declared the law unconstitutional and said ICE will not abide.

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ICE Targets Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Offering $2,500 Payment for Deportation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is beginning to target unaccompanied immigrant children, pressuring them to accept cash payment in exchange for agreeing to be deported, according to a government memo to immigrant aid groups obtained by The Intercept. 

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/03/ice-children-deportation-payment/?

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Judge wants immigration agents in Chicago area to wear body cameras after clashes with public

CHICAGO (AP) — Troubled by clashes between agents and the public, a judge on Thursday said she will require federal immigration officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras, and she also summoned a senior official to court next week to discuss an enforcement operation that has resulted in more than 1,000 arrests.

https://apnews.com/article/chicago-immigration-crackdown-judge-d5414dffbbd9380f95211c2c18d653d2?

We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

When the Supreme Court recently allowed immigration agents in the Los Angeles area to take race into consideration during sweeps, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that citizens shouldn’t be concerned.

https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will?

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ICE promised doxing cases against Portland ‘anarchists.’ Months later, no charges filed

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem set expectations high in July.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/10/16/repub/ice-promised-doxing-cases-against-portland-anarchists-months-later-no-charges-filed/?

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?️ ICE spends big on surveillance tech

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is on a surveillance spending spree: The agency is using much of its windfall from this summer's One Big, Beautiful Bill Act to fund a major expansion of biometric identification, cellphone tracking and other electronic capabilities, Axios' Brittany Gibson reports. Why it matters: The megabill's $75 billion cash infusion for ICE was sold by Congress as a way to speed up hiring new agents and adding detention space. But ICE is also going big on surveillance. The new surveillance spending includes: A contract with Clearview AI, which provides a facial recognition algorithm. A multimillion-dollar contract with BI² for its biometric data system IRIS, which promises a real-time identification of a person after taking a photo of their eye, according to the company website. A restarted contract with Paragon Solutions, which provides software that can remotely access smartphone data, as The Washington Post reported. The Biden administration had banned Paragon as an unethical spyware company. Buying access to a real-time smartphone location tracking system from the digital intelligence company Penlink, as 404 Media reported. Cooper Quintin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties nonprofit, said ICE could say: "Who owns all of the phones that have been outside of the ICE facility every night for the last three nights? And let's send them all to HSI for investigation." HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) is the investigative arm of ICE.

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Sami Hamdi

US immigration authorities detained British commentator Sami Hamdi, revoked his visa and announced he would be deported rather than allowed to complete his US speaking tour. Hamdi, a British Muslim journalist, spoke at a gala for the Council on American Islamic Relations in California on Saturday and was scheduled to appear at another CAIR event in Florida the next day, but was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport. CAIR on Sunday called for his release and accused the Trump administration of detaining him over his criticism of the Israeli government. Since January, the Trump administration has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown, including increasing social media vetting and deporting student visa and green card holders who have criticized Israel's conduct in the Gaza war.

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Chicago’s children are getting caught in the chaos of immigration crackdowns

In Chicago, children and families say they have been traumatized by an immigration enforcement action involving tear gas. Parents, teachers and caregivers have been grappling ever since with how to explain to children what they’d seen — how much to tell them so they know enough to stay safe, but not too much to rob them of their childhood. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Judge orders daily meetings with Border Patrol official Bovino on Chicago immigration crackdown

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⚡ Hiring 10,000 people turns out to be hard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

ICE is struggling to quickly hire 10,000 qualified agents for mass deportations — even as it offers signing bonuses of up to a year's salary, Axios' Brittany Gibson writes. Why it matters: The agency has received a flood of applications and fast-tracked its training for some recruits. But it's a huge challenge to add 10,000 agents to a force of 6,000. White House border czar Tom Homan acknowledges a "high fail rate" on physical standards. "I mean, if you can't run a mile and a half, you probably shouldn't be a federal law enforcement officer," Homan told Axios. Recruits have to do 15 push-ups and 32 sit-ups, and run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes. Some new recruits were described in an internal email as "athletically allergic," according to reporting in The Atlantic. Others are failing tests on immigration law. "I'm concerned that every agent is fully trained in immigration law, Fourth Amendment training," Homan said, referring to the constitutional ban on unreasonable searches and seizures. ? Zoom in: "ICE has received more than 175,000 applications, for 10,000 roles," Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. She wouldn't say how many of those new applicants have been hired. ICE is offering a signing bonus of up to $50,000 to new deportation officer recruits. The agency has spent more than $10 million on a national ad recruitment campaign and hosted in-person career fairs across the country.

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Maxwell: ICE agent caught on tape. Undocumented migrant workers die.

This past weekend, I read two news stories that, at first glance, had little to do with each other. One was about a DUI arrest in the Florida Keys. The other was an in-depth look at the troubled history of a road-building contractor Florida has long employed.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/29/florida-ice-agent-caught-on-tape-undocumented-migrant-workers-die/?

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ICE Plans Cash Rewards for Private Bounty Hunters to Locate and Track Immigrants

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering hiring private bounty hunters to locate immigrants across the country, according to a procurement document reviewed by The Intercept. Under the plan, bounty hunters may receive “monetary bonuses” depending on how successfully they track down their targets — and how many immigrants they then report to ICE.

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/31/ice-plans-cash-rewards-for-private-bounty-hunters-to-locate-and-track-immigrants/?

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Chicago judge says Border Patrol official lied about threats before restricting agents’ use force

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge in Chicago on Thursday issued an extensive injunction restricting federal agents’ use of force, saying Thursday that a top Border Patrol official leading an immigration crackdown repeatedly lied about threats posed by protesters and reporters.

https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-immigration-ice-border-patrol-7bb7d05c90b970226073857d97427c9e?

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Sanford grandfather, born in refugee camp, nabbed by ICE after 70 years in U.S.

Paul John Bojerski was born to Polish parents in a German refugee camp a year after World War II ended. His family legally emigrated to the United States in 1952 when he was five.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/sanford-grandfather-born-in-refugee-camp-nabbed-by-ice-after-70-years-in-u-s/?

ps:So why not just take all of us that were not born in this country and deport all of us?????

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? Under-the-radar immigration dragnet

Photo Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios; Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

ICE gets all the attention. But a new cluster of joint task forces is quietly becoming a potent part of President Trump's mass deportations push, Axios' Brittany Gibson writes. Why it matters: A single joint task force raid last weekend in San Antonio netted more arrests than ICE and Border Patrol's high-profile entry into Charlotte. The Texas raid, which targeted alleged Tren de Aragua gang members, resulted in more than 140 arrests, Axios San Antonio reported. Two days of an enforcement surge in Charlotte totaled 130. The San Antonio operation resulted in more arrests than a similar operation in Chicago with federal agents and a Black Hawk helicopter, which caught 37 people. ? Zoom in: The task forces, co-led by the FBI and ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, will eventually have outposts in all 50 states. They're up and running in South Texas, Alaska and Indianapolis. They'll have a centralized command center led by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Kristi Noem, with a mandate to combat cartels, international gangs and terror groups. Data: Axios research. Map: Sara Wise/Axios Mapped above: Outside of the task forces, ICE has done high-profile operations in LA, Chicago, Charlotte and Raleigh, with one planned after Thanksgiving in New Orleans. Keep reading.

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Charlotte crackdown confusion

A person is detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents at a Charlotte restaurant yesterday. Photo: Ryan Murphy/Getty Images Federal immigration officials say their Charlotte, N.C., crackdown is continuing while local leaders claim otherwise, Axios' Alexandria Sands reports. "Operation Charlotte's Web" is "not over and it is not ending anytime soon," Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. That's after Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said earlier today that DHS' surge in the area was winding down. A sheriff's office spokesperson tells Axios they're standing by that statement. ? Federal agents have made "around 370" arrests in and around Charlotte over the last five days, DHS says. ?‍♀️ The agency says it's targeting dangerous lawbreakers, but hasn't revealed the criminal background or immigration status of many of those arrested. Immigration agents were also spotted in nearby Raleigh and Durham this week, Axios' Mary Helen Moore and Zachery Eanes report, though DHS did not announce a major operation there. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) said earlier this week of DHS' beefed-up presence: "They haven't sat down and explained to us why they're here, how long they're going to be here, what their purpose of being here is." "We don't know pretty much anything. They're operating in the shadows." Being there: The Charlotte operation is rattling the Latino community and weighing on the local economy. Immigrant-owned businesses have temporarily closed, construction sites have emptied, and school absences have surged. ⚜️ DHS is eyeing New Orleans for future operations — and activists there are preparing for agents' arrival, per Axios' Chelsea Brasted. Get the latest ...

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ICE Sent 600 Immigrant Kids to Detention in Federal Shelters This Year. It’s a New Record.

It was Friday, June 6, and the rent was due. As soon as she finished an errand, Imelda Carreto planned on joining her family as they gathered scrap metal to earn a little extra cash. Her fiancé, Julio Matias, and 15-year-old nephew, Carlos, had set out early, hitching a trailer to the back of their beat-up gray truck.

https://www.propublica.org/article/ice-detentions-immigrant-kids-family-separations?

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Holiday nightmare

A college freshman was looking forward to flying home to Texas for Thanksgiving to see her parents and two younger sisters. But moments before she boarded her flight, federal immigration officials arrested the 19-year-old and deported her instead.

U.S.-born man held for ICE under Florida’s new anti-immigration law Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen, was being held in the Leon County Jail Thursday, charged with illegally entering Florida as an “unauthorized alien” — even as a supporter waved his U.S. birth certificate in court. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/04/17/u-s-born-man-held-for-ice-under-floridas-new-anti-immigration-law/?

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? Sanctuary cities 2.0

Photo illustration: Allie Carl/Axios. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Mayors and local officials aren't just criticizing ICE raids in their cities: They're making life harder for federal law enforcement, while being careful not to go over the line. Why it matters: The law forbids local leaders from impeding or interfering with federal officers. But cities are finding ways to push back on unwanted immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, Axios' Brittany Gibson writes. ? Homeland Security officials are getting a cold shoulder from local leaders as they decamp to New Orleans for "Operation Catahoula Crunch." The local sheriff's office won't allow ICE into its jails to make arrests or use the space for detention. In Minneapolis, which is bracing for an ICE operation targeting Somali immigrants over visa fraud, Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order this week that bans law enforcement agencies "from using any City-owned parking lots, ramps, garages, or vacant lots to stage civil immigration enforcement operations." In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a similar ban on using city-owned space for any immigration enforcement operations. LA County officials approved an emergency declaration that will cover living expenses for people who miss work because they fear immigration raids. It started accepting requests for aid this month. Read on.

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Records reviewed by AP detail online monitoring, arrests in New Orleans immigration crackdown State and federal authorities are closely tracking online criticism and protests against the immigration crackdown in New Orleans, monitoring message boards around the clock for threats to agents while compiling regular updates on public “sentiment” surrounding the arrests, according to law enforcement records reviewed by The Associated Press. Read more.

What to know: The intelligence gathering comes even as officials have released few details about the first arrests made last week as part of “Catahoula Crunch,” prompting calls for greater transparency from local officials who say they’ve been kept in the dark about virtually every aspect of the operation.   Immigration authorities have insisted the sweeps are targeted at “criminal illegal aliens.” But the law enforcement records detail criminal histories for less than a third of the 38 people arrested in the first two days of the operation.   Local leaders told the AP those numbers — which law enforcement officials were admonished not to distribute to the media — undermined the stated aim of the roundup. They also expressed concern that the online surveillance could chill free speech as authorities threaten to charge anyone interfering with immigration enforcement.

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About 400 immigrant children were detained longer than the recommended limit, ICE admits

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Hundreds of immigrant children lingered in federal detention beyond a court-mandated limit, including some who were held more than five months, according to court filings that alarmed legal advocates who say the government is failing to safeguard children.

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-ice-children-detained-lawsuit-dilley-75530212ec0959eda2b42aada3fbe46a?

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Federal judge issues order to prohibit immigration officials from detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia

BALTIMORE (AP) — A federal judge blocked U.S. immigration authorities on Friday from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying she feared they might take him into custody again just hours after she had ordered his release from a detention center.

https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-el-salvador-deportation-f6d3df5d2315375dea83492858dc91f5?