Story perspectives

ICE Use-of-Force Incidents Surge 353% Amid Scrutiny

2/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

Internal emails show a 353% rise in ICE use-of-force incidents from January to March 2025, totaling 67 cases, under U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite the rise, ICE leadership prioritized prosecuting assaults against officers, and those prosecutions also rose.
Critics say ICE's aggressive tactics, including lethal force, have escalated violence in communities.
The Department of Homeland Security faces scrutiny over how these incidents were handled, with calls for accountability and reforms.

History

Historical Context

Under President Barack Obama, the Department of Homeland Security deported a record 2.4 million undocumented immigrants from 2009 to 2016, earning him the title "Deporter-In-Chief." By 2015, ICE faced criticism for aggressive tactics, with 2,000 deportations daily and 40% of those deported lacking criminal convictions. The agency's controversial practices have sparked ongoing debates about immigration enforcement and civil rights in the U.S.

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Story summary

Internal emails show a 353% rise in ICE use-of-force incidents from January to March 2025, totaling 67 cases, under U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite the rise, ICE leadership prioritized prosecuting assaults against officers, and those prosecutions also rose.
Critics say ICE's aggressive tactics, including lethal force, have escalated violence in communities.
The Department of Homeland Security faces scrutiny over how these incidents were handled, with calls for accountability and reforms.

1 / 2