I’m a Retired ICE/HSI Special Agent, AMA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When the right gets more votes than the left can overcome with cheating the left has a mental breakdown. The cheating networks are being dismantled which is going to make for interesting elections.

I think you might actually believe this, which is kind of scary. Everything you just said, but the complete opposite, is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

At the end of the day, it’s part of the mission of the agency. There are legal means to becoming a US citizen that are available to everyone.

Is the ICE agency perfect? Are all ICE agents perfect? No and No.

Is the police force perfect? Are all police officers perfect? No and No.

Is the military perfect? Are all members of the military perfect? No and No.

BUT....shaming them - calling for them to be defunded or to all resign is wrong.

When they stop wearing MASKS we will stop shaming them. No law enforcement needs masks!
When they stop lying we will stop shaming them. Walking into public spaces and claiming they have "warrents" when they don't is not acceptable period!
They are already over budget by $1 Billion so yes they need to be defunded!

No, if they don't wear masks, Democrats will publish their names and attack them and their families at their homes.

Also, name the last 10 DHS agents that were attacked at their homes?

What’s that? You got nothing, right?

There hasn’t been a single instance of what you just claimed, you know that, and yet you didn’t even hesitate before claiming it as justification anyway.

God, we really do suck as a country. I’m so depressed for our children.

It looks like local and state governments will have to step in for public safety and ID the “agents.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/huntington-park-mayor-directs-police-to-enforce-ice-agents-self-identification/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

At the end of the day, it’s part of the mission of the agency. There are legal means to becoming a US citizen that are available to everyone.

Is the ICE agency perfect? Are all ICE agents perfect? No and No.

Is the police force perfect? Are all police officers perfect? No and No.

Is the military perfect? Are all members of the military perfect? No and No.

BUT....shaming them - calling for them to be defunded or to all resign is wrong.

When they stop wearing MASKS we will stop shaming them. No law enforcement needs masks!
When they stop lying we will stop shaming them. Walking into public spaces and claiming they have "warrents" when they don't is not acceptable period!
They are already over budget by $1 Billion so yes they need to be defunded!

No, if they don't wear masks, Democrats will publish their names and attack them and their families at their homes.

Also, name the last 10 DHS agents that were attacked at their homes?

What’s that? You got nothing, right?

There hasn’t been a single instance of what you just claimed, you know that, and yet you didn’t even hesitate before claiming it as justification anyway.

God, we really do suck as a country. I’m so depressed for our children.

It looks like local and state governments will have to step in for public safety and ID the “agents.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/huntington-park-mayor-directs-police-to-enforce-ice-agents-self-identification/

Yawn.

The mayor has no power here.

The police know the immigration agents aren’t “bounty hunters.”

Every person arrested knows who is arresting them because they identify themselves.

Perhaps the mayor should provide the names and photos of the undercover police officers that work for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

At the end of the day, it’s part of the mission of the agency. There are legal means to becoming a US citizen that are available to everyone.

Is the ICE agency perfect? Are all ICE agents perfect? No and No.

Is the police force perfect? Are all police officers perfect? No and No.

Is the military perfect? Are all members of the military perfect? No and No.

BUT....shaming them - calling for them to be defunded or to all resign is wrong.

When they stop wearing MASKS we will stop shaming them. No law enforcement needs masks!
When they stop lying we will stop shaming them. Walking into public spaces and claiming they have "warrents" when they don't is not acceptable period!
They are already over budget by $1 Billion so yes they need to be defunded!

No, if they don't wear masks, Democrats will publish their names and attack them and their families at their homes.

Also, name the last 10 DHS agents that were attacked at their homes?

What’s that? You got nothing, right?

There hasn’t been a single instance of what you just claimed, you know that, and yet you didn’t even hesitate before claiming it as justification anyway.

God, we really do suck as a country. I’m so depressed for our children.

It looks like local and state governments will have to step in for public safety and ID the “agents.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/huntington-park-mayor-directs-police-to-enforce-ice-agents-self-identification/

Yawn.

The mayor has no power here.

The police know the immigration agents aren’t “bounty hunters.”

Every person arrested knows who is arresting them because they identify themselves.

Perhaps the mayor should provide the names and photos of the undercover police officers that work for him.

Why are you downplaying gestapo tactics that have zero credible justification?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I retired 10 years ago (thankfully) but willing to give insider perspective and answer any questions.

ICE has been corrupt since it's inception. There is nothing heroic about the United States equivalent of the SS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

At the end of the day, it’s part of the mission of the agency. There are legal means to becoming a US citizen that are available to everyone.

Is the ICE agency perfect? Are all ICE agents perfect? No and No.

Is the police force perfect? Are all police officers perfect? No and No.

Is the military perfect? Are all members of the military perfect? No and No.

BUT....shaming them - calling for them to be defunded or to all resign is wrong.

When they stop wearing MASKS we will stop shaming them. No law enforcement needs masks!
When they stop lying we will stop shaming them. Walking into public spaces and claiming they have "warrents" when they don't is not acceptable period!
They are already over budget by $1 Billion so yes they need to be defunded!

No, if they don't wear masks, Democrats will publish their names and attack them and their families at their homes.

Also, name the last 10 DHS agents that were attacked at their homes?

What’s that? You got nothing, right?

There hasn’t been a single instance of what you just claimed, you know that, and yet you didn’t even hesitate before claiming it as justification anyway.

God, we really do suck as a country. I’m so depressed for our children.

It looks like local and state governments will have to step in for public safety and ID the “agents.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/huntington-park-mayor-directs-police-to-enforce-ice-agents-self-identification/

Yawn.

The mayor has no power here.

The police know the immigration agents aren’t “bounty hunters.”

Every person arrested knows who is arresting them because they identify themselves.

Perhaps the mayor should provide the names and photos of the undercover police officers that work for him.

I am always amazed at the maga ability to completely reject reality. Does this bleed over into other parts of your life?

I guess that when we thought they said they wanted to get rid of the “deep state” government maga really meant that they wanted to “deep throat” the government.

Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I retired 10 years ago (thankfully) but willing to give insider perspective and answer any questions.

ICE has been corrupt since it's inception. There is nothing heroic about the United States equivalent of the SS.

This. And I find Op fascinating. Sorta defending what ICE is doing, while making it very clear clear that HE wasn’t really ICE and didn’t do things like that and HIS work was on the up and up and made the US safer. He wants to make sure we all know he isn’t the portion of ICE people hate, but also refuses to denounce what ICE is doing. Very both sides/ but I was a “good” SS member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By policy, we were not required to provide our identity (only badge number). At that time, it was more out of concern about potential targeting by narco-terrorists and other crooks.

That would be a legitimate concern. HOWEVER... currently, the overwhelming majority of people being targeted by ICE are harmless farm workers, busboys, cooks and dishwashers, hospitality industry housekeeping staff, construction and maintenance workers, and so on, with absolutely no connection to narcoterrorists or other crooks.

Yes, and far left activists and Antifa wouldn’t try and dox, harass, and threaten these public servants at all if their faces were exposed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2025, are you embarrassed to tell people that you were once ICE?

How do you deal with the fact that people would really hesitant leave you alone with their loved ones based on your profession?


Do you believe all the “ICE officers” we are seeing in sneakers and jeans and sloppy street clothes for arrests not undercover but in places like Courthouses (where everyone has been well screened for weapons) is appropriate?

As I said, I’m glad I’m not a part of this. I’m a “rule of law” person so I support enforcing the law when it applies. I no longer advertise where I previously worked although I am proud of what I personally accomplished while an agent. I think there needs to be some standards for their appearances.

You missed two.

If you were asked to take part in arrests of the type we’ve seen publicized, would you have?

How to you feel about the arrests of Judges, Senators and other elected officials by ICE?

If it was a lawful arrest of an illegal alien, I would have reluctantly accepted the task. Again, I don’t agree with the strategy or tactics.

As far as the arrest of all the officials, it all seems sort of petty.

But those are not lawful arrests of illegal
aliens. So: kind of a big deal. Would you do them as ordered, or no?

OP, if you come back, would you please address this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you look at yourself in the mirror everyday? I ask that as someone who is a Fed not being forced out, but is in the process of resigning because I will not sign documents that lie or misrepresent to the Coirt, as the Trump Admin says I must. So, I know something about having to ask yourself that question.

The OP said he retired 10 years ago.

Yeah, I was a federal law clerk for 4 years that included that time period. DHS was put together in a reactive way by people without good motives after 9/11. It started as a problematic agency. It has become progressively more so. iCE — also a deeply problematic law enforcement agency that held itself above the law and due process— even those portions that didn’t apply to it. Something about the switch from INS to ICE really brought out the ugliest parts of the agents. The careless, random, IDGAF due process violations even before Trump came down his elevator were very blatant. People just didn’t care because UMC Americans never interacted with them. But this isn’t some new thing. It’s. Culture that’s been there from the start (when they were violating the rights of Muslims, instead of Hispanics).

Would you say that a lot of these posters on here don’t even care about immigrants and only pretend to care about them now because Trump is in power? Tell us how Tom Homan and ICE acted when Obama gave Homan a presidential medal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts son the anti-ice protests?

...thoughts *on the anti-ICE protests? (apologies for typo)

I’m not a fan of the protests. The vast majority of the agents “are just doing what they are being ordered to do” and are likely not a fan of it.

You don’t get to hide behind “just following orders”. Sorry. Not sorry.

I don’t necessarily agree with their strategy or tactics, but their mission (rounding up illegal aliens) is legal. At this point, every non-political appointee working in the federal govt “is just following orders.” Therefore, everyone should resign?

Of course, some jobs are being asked to be ICE and some are being asked to process social security claims, so they are not all the same.

I’m a Fed whose resignation date is 8/1 for moral and ethical reasons though.

And yes, maybe more Nazis should have quit.

People like you are insufferable. Were these same agents Nazis when Obama was the Deporter in Chief and putting kids in cages? How about when Joe Biden was giving statements like this?

Seems to me like PPs just care because they’re using immigrants as a political football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts son the anti-ice protests?

...thoughts *on the anti-ICE protests? (apologies for typo)

I’m not a fan of the protests. The vast majority of the agents “are just doing what they are being ordered to do” and are likely not a fan of it.

You don’t get to hide behind “just following orders”. Sorry. Not sorry.

I don’t necessarily agree with their strategy or tactics, but their mission (rounding up illegal aliens) is legal. At this point, every non-political appointee working in the federal govt “is just following orders.” Therefore, everyone should resign?

There is no obligation to follow illegal or immoral orders.

As far as the arresting of illegal aliens, what actual laws are ICE agents breaking?

Aside from arresting US citizens on extremely dubious claims of “interference?”

The question was specifically about arrests of illegal aliens.

I'm no expert but....I've read that ICE can indeed legally detain U.S. citizens.

Suppose an ICE agent reasonably suspects that a person is a non-citizen subject to deportation and their citizenship cannot be quickly verified (e.g., with a passport, birth certificate). In that case, they may be detained temporarily during the investigation. ICE agents may detain a U.S. citizen if there is a reasonable suspicion they are also a non-citizen subject to deportation and their citizenship status cannot be immediately verified.

OP - can you please chime in?

How might an ICE agent suspect that a person is in the country illegally (not just a non-citizen)? How might they just happen upon someone that fits that and what would be the signs that would cause reasonable suspicion?

I’m not challenging, just wondering.

Not OP, but imagine you get a tip that there’s a sweatshop that employees a bunch of illegal immigrants or that there is a sex trafficking ring run by and using illegal immigrants who’ve been trafficked. It seems reasonable to ask for the legal status of everyone there when you arrive at the scene.

Likewise, if you are a police officer raiding a chop shop for stolen cars you are going to detain and ask for the identities of everyone on the chop shop when you raid it.

For some reason these ICE agents are held to standards that don’t apply to any other LOE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

Where was your moral outrage at Obama when he was the Deporter in Chief? How do you sleep at night being such a craven, soulless political opportunist who pretends to care about people only when it’s politically expedient? Serious question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By policy, we were not required to provide our identity (only badge number). At that time, it was more out of concern about potential targeting by narco-terrorists and other crooks.

That would be a legitimate concern. HOWEVER... currently, the overwhelming majority of people being targeted by ICE are harmless farm workers, busboys, cooks and dishwashers, hospitality industry housekeeping staff, construction and maintenance workers, and so on, with absolutely no connection to narcoterrorists or other crooks.

Yes, and far left activists and Antifa wouldn’t try and dox, harass, and threaten these public servants at all if their faces were exposed.

The justification is “something that has happened NOT ONCE to date, but MAY happen in the future”?

Yeah, F off then. Masks off, you unAmerican cowards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can you do your job and sleep at night? It would break my heart. I would rather be unemployed than uproot families who have been living here for a long time.

Where was your moral outrage at Obama when he was the Deporter in Chief? How do you sleep at night being such a craven, soulless political opportunist who pretends to care about people only when it’s politically expedient? Serious question.

DP - it is a bit different bc Obama’s numbers were more due to turning people away at the border. He like others before him looked the other way when it came to people who managed to already get here.