Recent discussions at a Congressional forum have spotlighted concerns regarding the practices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, specifically focusing on training protocols and warrant procedures. This session, organized by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, featured critical testimonies from former ICE personnel.
During the forum, Rep. Yassamin Ansari grilled witnesses, including Ryan Schwank, a former ICE lawyer and trainer, about the agency’s operational methods. Ansari directly questioned Schwank, asking, “Yes or no, are ICE agents being told they can force entry into private homes without judicial warrants?” Schwank confirmed, “Yes, they are.”
Ansari highlighted that ICE and Border Patrol agents must adhere to the Fourth Amendment’s use-of-force restrictions, which dictate that force should only be used when “no reasonably effective, safe and feasible alternative appears to exist.” She criticized the current state, stating, “Instead, agents are engaging in a free for all — shooting, tasing, and pepper spraying wherever they see fit.”
Schwank, who recently resigned from ICE, revealed that he was instructed to train new recruits to enter homes without judicial warrants, contravening constitutional guidelines. He further disclosed significant reductions in training hours, eliminating essential legal and firearms instruction.
He expressed his concerns, saying, “I’m here because I am duty-bound to report that the legally required training program at the ICE academy is deficient, defective and broken.” He noted that the agency had ceased all legal instructions about use of force, which is crucial for cadets to understand the standard of being objectively reasonable when deciding on using deadly force.
Countering these claims, ICE spokesperson Lauren Bis stated that no reductions in training have occurred. She asserted that new recruits undergo extensive training and highlighted that “Our officers receive extensive firearm training, are taught de-escalation tactics, and receive Fourth and Fifth Amendment comprehensive instruction.”
ICE maintains that any changes in training are due to streamlining efforts and technological advancements, not the removal of content. The forum’s discussions align with ongoing scrutiny of ICE practices, particularly after a controversial operation in Minnesota that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens and widespread detentions.
In response to increasing concerns, the Arizona Attorney General’s office has established a portal for reporting potential misconduct by federal agents. Additionally, Pima County is moving forward with a resolution to prevent ICE from using county property without proper judicial authorization.
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