‎What Is ICE? Powers, Operations, Deportations and the Controversy Surrounding US Immigration Enforcement

‎The killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has triggered demonstrations and renewed national attention on the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The incident comes amid a surge in immigration enforcement activity under President Donald Trump, placing the agency under heightened public scrutiny.

‎

‎A detailed explainer on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), its origins, arrest powers, use of force, deportation process, and the growing public backlash amid Trump-era immigration policies.

‎Tim Evans/Reuters

‎

‎Since Trump’s return to the White House, ICE has carried out thousands of arrests, frequently in public spaces. These operations have brought federal immigration agents directly into neighbourhoods nationwide, sparking resistance from residents who oppose the agency’s presence and tactics.

‎

‎What Is ICE and How Did It Begin?

‎

‎ICE is the primary agency implementing the Trump administration’s large-scale deportation strategy, a key pledge from Trump’s election campaign. Since reassuming office, the president has expanded the agency’s funding, workforce and scope of responsibility.

‎

‎The agency is tasked with enforcing immigration laws, investigating undocumented immigration and overseeing the removal of undocumented immigrants from the United States. ICE was established under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, legislation passed in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. That law created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with ICE operating as one of its component agencies.

‎

‎What Authority Do ICE Agents Have to Make Arrests?

‎

‎ICE frames its mission around public safety and national security, though its authority differs from that of local police departments. Agents can stop, detain and arrest individuals they believe are in the US without legal status.

‎

‎In limited cases, ICE agents can also detain US citizens—such as when someone interferes with an arrest, assaults an officer, or is suspected of being unlawfully present in the country. Despite these limits, ProPublica reported more than 170 cases in the first nine months of Trump’s presidency in which federal agents detained US citizens against their will, including individuals mistakenly believed to be undocumented.

‎

‎When Can ICE Use Force?

‎

‎The agency’s use of force is governed by the US Constitution, federal law and internal DHS policies. According to Chris Slobogin, director of the criminal justice programme at Vanderbilt University Law School, deadly force is legally permitted only if an individual poses a serious threat to officers or others, or has committed a violent crime.

‎

‎However, the US Supreme Court has historically given officers broad discretion for split-second decisions made in tense situations. A 2023 DHS policy memo reinforces that deadly force may be used only when necessary, and only if an officer reasonably believes there is an imminent risk of death or serious injury.

‎

‎Where Does ICE Carry Out Operations?

‎

‎ICE generally operates within the United States, though it maintains some personnel overseas. Officially, border enforcement falls under US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but those responsibilities have increasingly overlapped.

‎

‎Under the Trump administration, agents from multiple federal law enforcement bodies have been reassigned to immigration enforcement duties. Border Patrol officers now frequently operate far from the border, joining ICE in domestic raids.

‎

‎Hundreds of officers have been deployed to major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis, often alongside other federal agencies. According to the Associated Press, as many as 2,000 federal officers are expected to take part in the latest operation in Minneapolis.

‎

‎What Happens After Someone Is Detained by ICE?

‎

‎Deportations under the current administration have occurred on a massive scale. The government says 605,000 people were deported between 20 January and 10 December 2025. It also reports that 1.9 million immigrants voluntarily left the country after a public campaign urging them to self-deport to avoid arrest.

‎

‎An encounter with ICE can lead to several outcomes. Some individuals are questioned briefly and released. Others are taken into custody and transferred to larger detention centres located across the US.

‎

‎While detained, many immigrants continue legal efforts to remain in the country. If those efforts fail, deportation may follow. As of 30 November 2025, about 65,000 people were being held in ICE detention, according to data from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

‎

‎Immigration attorneys have told the BBC that locating detained individuals can be difficult, with families and lawyers sometimes waiting days to learn where someone is being held.

‎

‎Why Has ICE Faced Criticism and Opposition?

‎

‎ICE operations have increasingly been met with resistance from communities and advocacy groups. Filming arrests has become common, and some encounters between agents and the public have escalated into confrontations.

‎

‎In Chicago, a coalition of media organisations sued the Border Patrol, alleging excessive force against journalists, religious figures and protesters during ICE-linked operations. A federal judge initially ruled in their favour, though the decision was later overturned on appeal.

‎

‎The Minneapolis shooting is not an isolated case. In October, two incidents in Los Angeles involved agents firing at drivers, according to the Los Angeles Times. DHS stated that in both cases, officers acted because the vehicles were used in a threatening manner.

‎

‎ICE and other immigration officers have also been criticised for wearing masks during operations. DHS officials argue that face coverings protect agents from harassment and doxing.

‎

‎How Do Americans View ICE and Deportations?

‎

‎Public opinion on immigration enforcement remains divided. An October 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that just over half of Americans believe some level of deportation is necessary—a figure largely unchanged from earlier in the year.

‎

‎At the same time, many express discomfort with how deportations are being carried out. The poll showed that 53% of US adults think the Trump administration is doing too much to remove undocumented immigrants, while about 36% support its current approach.