ICE Director Discloses 37 Misconduct Probes Following Fatal Shootings of US Citizens
Key Facts
- ICE is conducting 37 investigations into use of force, with 19 still pending.
- The ICE training curriculum was reduced from 75 days to 42 days for 12,000 new employees.
- Two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good, were shot by immigration officers in Minneapolis.
- 373 federal judges have ruled against the administration's mandatory detention policy.
- There have been 83 deaths in ICE custody under the current administration.
- Interior deportations quadrupled in the fall of 2025 compared to the previous year.
- The ICE workforce has nearly doubled to 22,000 personnel.
Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday that the agency has conducted 37 investigations into officer use of force over the last year. The disclosure follows the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, 37-year-old Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good, by immigration officers in Minneapolis. Lyons confirmed that 18 of these investigations are closed while 19 remain pending or have been referred for further review, though he did not specify if any resulted in terminations.
During the hearing, Lyons revealed that the training curriculum for new recruits at the federal law enforcement training center in Georgia was truncated from 75 days to 42 days. He acknowledged that a recruit with no prior experience carrying a weapon could be deployed to the field after the 42-day period, followed by on-the-job training. This surge in hiring has nearly doubled the ICE workforce to 22,000 personnel. Senator Ruben Gallego criticized the shortened training and the "consistent mishandling of weapons" and "escalation of force" reported in recent incidents.
Separately, a judicial review found that 373 federal judges have rejected the administration’s mass detention strategy, which seeks to hold immigrants without bond regardless of their criminal history. This includes 44 judges appointed by Donald Trump. While the administration initially labeled the Minneapolis shooting victims as "domestic terrorists," Lyons declined to repeat those assertions during his testimony, noting that public comments can bias ongoing investigations. A preliminary government review and bystander videos have contradicted the administration's initial narrative regarding the Pretti shooting.
Historical Context
The Trump administration has overseen 83 deaths in ICE custody so far, with 37 occurring in the first year of the second term, a rate comparable to four years of the Obama administration. While interior deportations have quadrupled since late 2025, overall border crossings have reached a 50-year low due to diplomatic agreements established in late 2024. The current administration has shifted focus toward 'street arrests' of individuals without criminal convictions and the revocation of protected status for specific nationalities.
Perspective Analysis
Sources: Deutsche Welle · The Hill · Politico · NPR
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