U.S. ICE enforcement and misconduct issues

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is experiencing significant operational changes and internal scrutiny. Internal documents indicate the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility is managing 148 open misconduct investigations for fiscal years 2023 through 2025. These allegations include sexual assault, bribery, drug smuggling, and the intentional discharge of weapons. Critics have noted that some investigations have remained unresolved for up to four years.

Simultaneously, ICE has seen a surge in arrests, with monthly totals exceeding 50,000 during the summer of 2026. Data shows a shift in detainee profiles, as 55 percent of those arrested in July had no criminal convictions or pending charges. While the administration maintains a focus on targeting dangerous offenders, the increase in noncriminal arrests has drawn criticism from officials such as Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, who cautioned against the tendency to “do not conflate the gangster with the gardener, the nanny with the narco.”