Report: Thousands of ICE Agents to Be Reassigned to Field
The President-elect Donald Trump and border czar Tom Homan have promised to flood sanctuary towns with agents.
The New York Post reported on Thursday that 60% to 70% are currently stuck at desks.
ICE sources told The Post that the rank-and-file are “excited to catch criminals [President Joe] Biden allowed to roam free in the country without any consequences for the past four years.”
One source told The Post that they were “can’t” wait to get back on the streets. Another said that although he had no experience in making arrests with ICE, he’s years of experience working for Customs and Border Patrol would make it easy.
Homan warned sanctuary cities to work with federal officials in a recent Post interview.
Homan added that the enforcement of tougher immigration laws would require a large number of agents. “So if we have to flood the sanctuary cities with agents in order to accomplish the task, that’s exactly what we will do.”
The Post, citing a Department of Homeland Security Budget Overview, reported that ICE employs a total of 21,000 people, including non-law enforcement staff who are responsible for administrative tasks.
Some ICE officials worry that the agency does not have enough resources, even after the reassignments.
An ICE source told The Post that “the personnel must be present to carry out these massive deportations.” Right now, many units are depleted.
The source said that if the agency’s fugitive street team was not making enough arrests they would crack down. This is a program designed to assist field offices to locate and arrest migrants who pose a threat to public safety or national security. If that is not enough, they will probably be ordered to add more officers in order to make more arrests.
The Post reported that there are dozens vacant positions at each ICE office. These need to be filled with funding.
A source said to The Post that the Biden-Harris Administration had “defunded” the Post without saying anything.
Homan, the former acting ICE Director in the Trump administration, has said that he will visit both the southern and the northern border and meet with Border Patrol personnel and ICE staff to understand their needs.
He said he would also prioritize arresting illegal immigrants who are threats to public safety and national security, and bring worksite raids back, which were stopped by the Biden-Harris Administration in October 2021.