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

[Anonymous]

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

I was originally a US Customs special agent. ICE was formed in 2003 and all Customs and INS special agents were merged into it. It was an awful “marriage” of cultures and responsibilities but I enjoyed the work I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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).

That's an interesting insight. Every organization has its own unique culture, which tends to heavily influence how work is done. I'm curious about what kind of people apply to work at ICE these days. So many seem to be Hispanic--and yet they're going after their own people.

The job market sucks right now and a non-supervisory special agent can earn almost $200k per year and get a take home car and can retire at any age after 25 years of service with a decent pension.

[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.

And yet that wasn't what happened with the Turkish student who was grabbed off the street of a Boston suburb. She was not informed why she was being arrested and agents did not identify themselves as being with ICE (one of them said on the video, "We are the police," which wasn't true). Had it not been caught on tape, she might still be languishing in a detention center in Louisiana.

https://zeteo.com/p/watch-the-moment-masked-ice-agents

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

If you do high and morally mighty, why wait to resign. Put your money where your mouth is and resign effective immediately.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

I think those who can retire, are; many are the bread earners for their families and can’t just quit. It’s nice that you have the means and/or education and experience to quit. Many agents are sole bread winners, have to put food on the table, pay bills, and have medical insurance. And remember, “this is what the electorate voted for.”

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

If you do high and morally mighty, why wait to resign. Put your money where your mouth is and resign effective immediately.

I’m resigning because Trump policy changes put me in the position of not being able to help vulnerable people I serve. But I can at least not cut and run, and take the necessary time to leave them in the best place possible. We got DOGE’D and these are heartbreaking, impossible situations. And I will continue to help the population I serve in a different way, for a different employer. But walking away from the people I serve without taking the time wind down their cases or transition them hurts them more.

Is it so impossible to believe some feds are actually mission driven. And I’ll have the same mission. Just a different employer. I will not screw over vulnerable people even more than the policy changes are screwing them over on my way out the door.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

Sometime I wonder whether we will reach a point when the month in which you jumped ship will be understood to have meant something as an index of your loyalty to the Constitution and your understanding that facts exist independent of what the President says.

I resigned in May. Why wait?

[Anonymous]

OP, do you think that there should be no people in the U.S. illegally? If you had a way to deport them all with due process and all the other niceties, would you do it?

[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?

+1. a vet headed to the VA. An American citizen with a Real ID. Deportations after Coirts order they not proceed? These are legal arrests and deportations?

When this is over, we really need an American Neurenburg Trial. And it should end the same way as the first one. At least it would pull a lot of sociopaths out of the gene pool.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

Sometime I wonder whether we will reach a point when the month in which you jumped ship will be understood to have meant something as an index of your loyalty to the Constitution and your understanding that facts exist independent of what the President says.

I resigned in May. Why wait?

My agency was very unstable under an acting and it was unclear what would happen once we got our political. Once we got our Political and our marching orders, I was out. See above for why I am taking the time to transition my caseload, like au professional in my situation ethically should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you think that there should be no people in the U.S. illegally? If you had a way to deport them all with due process and all the other niceties, would you do it?

Not OP, but are you really asking such a stupid question? You yourself said "in the U.S. illegally".

It's like asking a police officer if they think all rapists, drug dealers (basically anyone who breaks the law) should be arrested and put in jail.

Can't wait to see OP's response.