One Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer has been referred for disciplinary action related to a use-of-force incident since the beginning of the Trump administration, according to Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee. The disclosure followed a closed-door briefing with ICE officials regarding body cameras, vehicle stops, and training.
The briefing occurred in the wake of two fatal shootings involving ICE officers attempting to arrest immigrants, which have intensified scrutiny of the agency's tactics amid an increase in arrests. Since President Donald Trump's administration initiated a crackdown, at least 10 individuals have died in encounters with immigration agents.
During the briefing, committee Democrats were informed that 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers had been filed. Of these, 32 were cleared, and one was referred for disciplinary action. No discipline has yet been issued for that case, and the remaining incidents are still under investigation, according to Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from Rhode Island.
"It just defies belief that an agency of 20,000 plus officers with all of the chaos that we’ve seen over the last year and a half through the surges and civilians being injured and killed, that no one would be found to have violated use of force with the exception of possibly one person," Magaziner stated.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not commented on the matter. Department leadership has previously pledged to hold officers accountable for policy violations but has also highlighted the dangerous environment in which officers operate, citing constant attacks and doxing.
These figures represent an increase from February, when then-acting director Todd Lyons testified that ICE had opened 37 excessive force investigations, with 18 closed, 19 pending, and one referred for further action.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, noted that ICE officials could not provide details on the recent shootings in Maine and Houston, as those are active investigations. Thompson indicated that the briefing left him with more questions than answers, particularly concerning the various entities that investigate use-of-force incidents.
ICE officials stated that officers who received shorter training curricula last fall would undergo retraining. In June, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullins announced an increase in training for new officers, set to begin this month. Thompson sought further clarity on the number of officers being retrained and the specific methods used, but received no definitive information.
Thompson and committee chair Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., plan to follow up with ICE on a list of outstanding questions. Garbarino acknowledged the opportunity to receive information on body camera deployment, training standards, and current guidance on vehicle stops.
Regarding vehicle stops, Magaziner reported that ICE officers are verbally instructed to use them only as a last resort and to employ lights and sirens, though this guidance has not been formalized in writing.
Both of the recent fatal shootings involved individuals in moving vehicles, prompting questions about ICE's training and policies related to apprehending subjects in vehicles. Following the shooting in Maine, the Trump administration initially directed ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops, but President Trump later reversed this directive on social media.