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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What on earth would lead you to apply for and/or accept a job with ICE? Were there no other jobs? Were you otherwise unemployable? I just can’t fathom someone’s motivation to join such a despicable group

OP - don't listen to these types of posts.

https://www.ice.gov/careers

Not every ICE employee is on the field picking up illegal immigrants. Take a look at the job openings and educate yourself.

Also...calling ICE a despicable group is a horrible generalization.
It's akin to saying the Police Force are despicable....akin to saying the Priesthood is despicable.

Those making these statements are why Democrats will continue to lose.

Yes, but this is the crowd who believes it is okay to damage a random person's car because they don't like the CEO of the company that manufactured it.

Horrible generalizations and many other cognitive fails are common among those with mental illness.

Just like ICE used to have some valid functions and has now become a tool of evil, people used to buy Tesla’s for the right reasons but the company is now evil.

FAFO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was there any difference in mission focus and leadership style under a Democrat presidency vs. Republican?

There’s always been a mission to identify and locate criminal aliens but no requirement to arrest “everyone.” Only about 15% or so or HSI Special Agents were actually dedicated to immigration work under previous administration. The focus was on the dozens of other criminal statutes that the agency enforces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What on earth would lead you to apply for and/or accept a job with ICE? Were there no other jobs? Were you otherwise unemployable? I just can’t fathom someone’s motivation to join such a despicable group

OP - don't listen to these types of posts.

https://www.ice.gov/careers

Not every ICE employee is on the field picking up illegal immigrants. Take a look at the job openings and educate yourself.

Also...calling ICE a despicable group is a horrible generalization.
It's akin to saying the Police Force are despicable....akin to saying the Priesthood is despicable.

Those making these statements are why Democrats will continue to lose.

Yes, but this is the crowd who believes it is okay to damage a random person's car because they don't like the CEO of the company that manufactured it.

Horrible generalizations and many other cognitive fails are common among those with mental illness.

Just like ICE used to have some valid functions and has now become a tool of evil, people used to buy Tesla’s for the right reasons but the company is now evil.

FAFO.

This is how mentally ill people justify their actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts on ICE going around wearing masks, refusing to identify themselves, refusing to present warrants, showing up in unmarked civilian vehicles looking like they could just be a bunch of Proud Boys wearing storebought tactical gear to kidnap random people off the street?

I’m fine with them protecting their identities but some of their outfits are a bit much. HSI is a non-uniformed investigative entity and the agents are all assigned unmarked vehicles. These immigration roundups are a collateral function that none of them are enjoying (and many are working 7 days a week and not getting compensated for it).

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Why should anyone believe they are ICE agents these days?

You could just be a criminal trying to harm me.

ICE has zero credibility now.

[Anonymous]

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?

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?

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If 4 men rode up in an unmarked SUV, hopped out with masks on, Ann counted they were ICE but presented zero proof and grabbed your wife or daughter, what would you do? Would you stand back respectfully, like Republicans tell us you must? Ot would you “obstruct” by doing something minor to try to make sure they were being kidnapped and raped, and risk jail?

I would inform everyone why the arrest was occurring, what agency I was with, and what the next steps were.

[Anonymous]

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.

I would never have broken the law because someone ordered me to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If 4 men rode up in an unmarked SUV, hopped out with masks on, Ann counted they were ICE but presented zero proof and grabbed your wife or daughter, what would you do? Would you stand back respectfully, like Republicans tell us you must? Ot would you “obstruct” by doing something minor to try to make sure they were being kidnapped and raped, and risk jail?

I would inform everyone why the arrest was occurring, what agency I was with, and what the next steps were.

Omg that wasn't the question!!!

It was what would you do if random thugs with no ID came and tried to take your family away!

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are your thoughts on ICE going around wearing masks, refusing to identify themselves, refusing to present warrants, showing up in unmarked civilian vehicles looking like they could just be a bunch of Proud Boys wearing storebought tactical gear to kidnap random people off the street?

I’m fine with them protecting their identities but some of their outfits are a bit much. HSI is a non-uniformed investigative entity and the agents are all assigned unmarked vehicles. These immigration roundups are a collateral function that none of them are enjoying (and many are working 7 days a week and not getting compensated for it).

So no badges, badge id numbers, nothing. How do we know they are ICE and not rapists (given that at least three individuals or groups of individuals have been arrested for saying they we ICE and attempting to abduct or rape individuals?)

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If 4 men rode up in an unmarked SUV, hopped out with masks on, Ann counted they were ICE but presented zero proof and grabbed your wife or daughter, what would you do? Would you stand back respectfully, like Republicans tell us you must? Ot would you “obstruct” by doing something minor to try to make sure they were being kidnapped and raped, and risk jail?

I would inform everyone why the arrest was occurring, what agency I was with, and what the next steps were.

That’s what you would have done. This is what is happening. Answer the question. If men drove up in an unmarked car, said they were ICE and your wife or daughter were being arrested, had covered faces and street clothes, no ID, and grabbed them, would you obstruct pr stand back and watch?

[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).

There’s a lot I disagree with here. Prior to this administration, the focus of HSI was drug trafficking, child exploitation, money laundering, arms trafficking, war crimes, violent gangs, commercial fraud, enviornmental crimes, organized retail crimes…and the list goes on. Very important work that is now being ignored as everyone is focusing on immigration.