After public killings by ICE forced a rhetorical retreat, the new DHS Secretary vowed to keep enforcement "out of the headlines." Since then, 44 people have died in ICE custody, a target of 1 million deportations was set, and $3.5 billion in ICE grants were requested.
Details. Following the killings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents, mass protests broke out in Minneapolis. The local ICE commander was replaced, with his successor promising a more "targeted" approach. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was later fired, and her replacement Markwayne Mullin stated his goal was to keep the DHS out of the headlines.
► A target for 1 million deportations was set for 2026. Since the introduction of a 3,000 daily arrest quota, official data confirmed that ICE has been carrying out an average of 1,000 removals per day.
► The 287(g) program, which deputizes local police to carry out immigration enforcement, has expanded sharply under Trump – allowing enforcement to scale without relying on visible ICE operations. By January 2026, 1,372 local sheriff offices and police departments had signed agreements with ICE, up from 135 in January 2025.
► Since late May 2025, 44 people have died in ICE detention facilities. At an ICE facility in Newark, hundreds of detainees launched a hunger and labor strike demanding adequate nutrition, healthcare, and an end to abuse.
► Trump's administration has continued to move against legal obstacles to enforcement. Wisconsin county judge Hannah Dugan was arrested for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant avoid ICE officers. Plainclothes officers continue to make arrests inside immigration courthouses despite having no legal justification.
► ICE has continued to expand surveillance of all residents, conduct third-country deportations, and deploy paramilitary units. These include the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), whose members have records of violence and sexual abuse.
► The Department of Justice is seeking $3.5 billion in grants to fund "immigration-related law enforcement programs," including construction of additional detention facilities, purchase of surveillance equipment, and hiring of law-enforcement personnel.
Context. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, gave ICE a total budget of $85 billion, making it the 16th most heavily funded armed force in the world. The money will be used predominantly to build detention centers, processing facilities, and fund additional ICE officers.
► Trump's campaign promised deportations would protect American labor. In reality, the opposite is true – employers are cutting production rather than hiring US-born workers, driving down their employment by 1.3%.