The White House is preparing to phase out an accelerated ICE training system and expand oversight by experienced deportation officers amid ongoing immigration policy disputes.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Trump administration is preparing to discontinue a rapid training initiative used to quickly place newly hired Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers into the field, replacing the program with a system centered on veteran officers providing additional instruction and supervision at field offices nationwide.
According to a report from Politico, administration officials said draft plans currently under review would certify experienced ICE personnel to oversee and continue training recruits who entered the agency through the accelerated hiring effort launched last year.
Officials cautioned that the proposal remains subject to revisions while the Department of Homeland Security finalizes updated training standards and operational procedures.
The changes follow criticism from whistleblowers and Democratic lawmakers who argued that some deportation officers hired under the expansion effort completed significantly shortened training courses lasting approximately six to eight weeks rather than the previous 72-day academy program.
Administration officials who spoke to Politico anonymously said the updated approach is intended to strengthen field oversight while maintaining staffing increases at ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the division responsible for detention operations, arrests, and deportations involving individuals in the country illegally.
“We’re actually doing something good here,” one administration official told the outlet. “ICE is actually taking this very seriously, and it’s not just lip service.”
The training overhaul comes during a broader restructuring effort inside the Department of Homeland Security following the departure of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the appointment of Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the former Oklahoma senator now overseeing the agency.
Under the revised plan, ICE intends to place certified veteran officers inside field offices to mentor recruits directly and standardize enforcement training procedures across the country.
A DHS spokesperson told Politico that ICE personnel already undergo continuing education and field supervision after graduating from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
“This additional training is tracked online and monitored closely,” the spokesperson said.
“New hires take what they learn at [Federal Law Enforcement Training Center] and apply it to real-life scenarios while on duty, preserving ICE’s reputation as one of the most elite law enforcement agencies not only in the U.S., but the entire world,” the spokesperson added.
According to administration sources, discussions about training reforms intensified during negotiations involving lawmakers, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and border czar Tom Homan as Congress worked through a prolonged Department of Homeland Security funding dispute.
The negotiations followed a 76-day DHS funding impasse tied to disagreements over immigration policy and enforcement procedures. Lawmakers resolved the shutdown last week, though several disputes between congressional Democrats and the administration remain unresolved.
Among the continuing points of disagreement are Democratic proposals that would prohibit ICE officers from wearing face coverings during enforcement operations and require federal agents to obtain judicial warrants before entering private property.
Administration officials said no final agreement has been reached on those policy demands as immigration negotiations continue.
Original article
Comments