Let's Get Creative: ICE's Unconventional Deportation Strategy
Unlawful ICE detention technique unveiled, sparking terror among undocumented immigrants in the USA.
In a stunning revelation, a recent report by The Guardian exposes a strongly worded memo sent from top brass at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The memo, initially shared on May 31, encourages ICE officers to think outside the box and up their game when it comes to deportations.
The internal emails, penned by senior ICE officials, advocate for ICE agents to be bolder in their approach, pushing for a significant increase in arrests over the May weekend. One of the suggested methods is the expansion of "collateral arrests" during raids, targeting unplanned profiles apart from the intended ones.
The Push for Higher Numbers
The push for increased arrests comes as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, puts pressure on immigration officials to reach 3,000 apprehensions per day.
Catch 'Em If You Can: Turning Chance Encounters into Arrests
According to another exposé by The Guardian, ICE Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, Marcos Charles, is urging his officers to seize the day, metaphorically speaking. Charles' messages emphasize the need to detain anyone they might cross paths with, even if that encounter is merely casual.
"No stone left unturned," Charles urges in his memo, instructing his officers to "interview anyone encountered casually" and "arrest anyone deemed deportable," basically giving carte blanche to ICE agents to bypass minimum requirements for detaining suspects.
Questioning the Legality of Collateral Arrests
Given that being undocumented in the US is a civil offense, not a criminal one, collateral arrests often catch individuals with no criminal records off guard. Mark Fleming, Director of the National Immigration Justice Center (NIJC), is concerned that ICE agents are bypassing legal procedures to make these arrests.
Though there are institutions in place to protect migrants' rights, the content of the emails seems to suggest that ICE is attempting to violate both the law and the necessary protocols for making arrests without the proper judicial orders.
Collateral Damage: The Impact of Collateral Arrests
Though it's tricky to pinpoint the exact number of collateral arrests made since Donald Trump's reinstatement, the ICE website offers a glimpse. Back in January 2025, a single-day operation by ICE agents resulted in the detention of 1179 people. Of this total, at least 566 individuals had no criminal records.
As recent as June 2025, ICE carried out a record operation in which they arrested over 2200 individuals in a single day. Many of those arrested were participants in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, a public-private partnership that monitors low-risk migrants awaiting decisions on their legal status.
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Other Recent ICE News
The newsworthy memo from ICE officials proposes an increase in arrests, particularly through the expansion of collateral arrests, within the context of a push for higher numbers set by the Department of Homeland Security.
The General-news and Crime-and-justice spheres have reported concerns regarding the potential legality of collateral arrests, as well as the impact on individuals with no criminal records and those participating in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program. This issue revolves around policy-and-legislation and politics.
