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Former ICE Lawyer Claims Critical Training Cuts Violate Constitution

3/27/2026

28 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Ryan Schwank, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lawyer and instructor, testified before Congress that ICE cut 240 hours from a 584-hour training program, omitting critical legal training.
He said cadets are not taught to be objectively reasonable in their use of force, a standard set by the Supreme Court.
He resigned, saying these practices violate constitutional requirements for U.S. law enforcement.

History

Historical Context

The 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Graham v. Connor established the "objective reasonableness" standard for evaluating excessive force by police, emphasizing situational context. However, recent reductions in training hours for ICE agents threaten adherence to this standard, potentially increasing constitutional violations and eroding public trust in law enforcement practices, as highlighted by Ryan Schwank's testimony.

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Story summary

Ryan Schwank, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lawyer and instructor, testified before Congress that ICE cut 240 hours from a 584-hour training program, omitting critical legal training.
He said cadets are not taught to be objectively reasonable in their use of force, a standard set by the Supreme Court.
He resigned, saying these practices violate constitutional requirements for U.S. law enforcement.

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