Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has become the main force behind his tough crackdown on migrants. With record funding and orders to increase arrests, ICE agents are facing long hours, stress, and growing public anger.
Reuters spoke with 11 current and former ICE officials. Many said morale is low, and staff are burned out. The Trump administration has pushed for very high arrest numbers—about 3,000 a day—much higher than under former President Joe Biden. But officers say this target is too demanding and unsafe.
Data shows that while Trump says he wants to deport “the worst criminals,” many people arrested are not criminals. ICE arrests of non-criminals rose sharply, including long-term green card holders, people with legal visas, and even some U.S. citizens. Videos of officers arresting people at schools, churches, bus stops, and worksites have gone viral, fueling criticism.
Some ICE officers who normally focus on serious crimes like human trafficking are now reassigned to routine immigration raids. They say this hurts important investigations and puts more pressure on staff. One official said the workload is overwhelming and unrealistic.
The Trump administration argues the crackdown is needed. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, said officers may be frustrated, but illegal immigration is a “national emergency.” He believes morale will improve as more officers are hired.
Congress has given ICE a huge budget increase—$75 billion over four years. The agency plans to hire 10,000 new officers and is running ads to recruit people. So far, more than 115,000 Americans have applied. But critics warn that rushing hiring could lead to poor training and misconduct.
Meanwhile, ICE officers face backlash from communities, activists, and Democrats. Trump’s approval rating on immigration has fallen, as many Americans see his tactics as too harsh. Even some ICE staff say they preferred the old system, which focused on criminals, rather than mass arrests.
For now, ICE agents are stuck between White House demands, public anger, and their own exhaustion.
-Peace News Desk