ICE mandates additional training for new hires after backlash

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is implementing enhanced training for its new officers, extending the program duration and mandating additional instruction for those hired under a now-scrapped shortened process from the Trump administration. These changes come after months of concerns raised by lawmakers, advocates, and former ICE officials regarding the quality and length of training for agents involved in immigration enforcement.

The decision to bolster training follows intensified scrutiny, particularly after federal immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens during a controversial operation earlier this year. A former ICE instructor had previously filed a whistleblower complaint, describing the agency's training as "deficient, defective, and broken" and warning of the risks associated with onboarding officers potentially unable to conduct enforcement lawfully.

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deficient, defective, and broken

Starting in July, new academy classes at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia will undergo an extended core training program, increasing from 42 days to roughly 71 days. Additionally, officers who previously completed the shorter 42-day training will be required to participate in a new "Advanced Field Officer Training Program." An internal ICE memo indicated that these changes aim to improve officer safety, operational efficiency, and compliance with laws and policies. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also previewed these training adjustments, noting they would incorporate crowd control and adapt to current needs.

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The training policy is going to change a little bit, because we're going to be doing crowd control and fit today's needs. But all training always is willing to change, back and forth