Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has dropped a requirement that officers prepare written reports identifying targets before making arrests, ending a process that had been in place for more than 15 years, according to current and former agency officials.
ICE and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials told NBC News that the policy was eliminated earlier this year, reflecting a shift toward broader operations in public spaces and residential areas, including Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, and Boston, the network reported Tuesday.
Darius Reeves, former director of ICE’s Baltimore field office, said the worksheet had been standard for nearly every arrest, except when officers were assisting local police. Reeves, who left the agency in May, said DHS leadership communicated the decision before his departure. However, he noted that some officers continue to use the forms voluntarily out of concern for potential legal liability.
Administration officials, including former ICE acting director Tom Homan, have emphasized targeting immigrants with criminal convictions. At the same time, President Donald Trump has pledged large-scale deportations, and officials have described pressure to increase arrests.
NBC News reported that White House aide Stephen Miller told ICE leaders in May that field offices must reach 3,000 arrests a day or risk leadership changes. Since then, the agency has stepped up operations in parking lots, residential areas, and other locations where immigrants may be present.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said ICE operations are based on investigations and casework, while ICE Director Todd Lyons told NBC News the agency is conducting “targeted enforcement operations.”
Some former officials, however, said the term “targeted” is being applied broadly to describe operations in which officers may not know the identity of those taken into custody in advance.
In July, a federal judge in Los Angeles issued an order limiting ICE patrols and prohibiting reliance on race or language in arrests, but the Supreme Court lifted those restrictions in a 6–3 decision in September.
Several current and former DHS officials said the worksheets provided not only operational planning but also protections for officers. They noted that officers sometimes included safety notes — such as whether a person might be armed — and that the forms could help demonstrate probable cause if arrests were challenged in court.
Paul Hunker, former ICE chief counsel in Dallas, said the worksheets could be important if officers face lawsuits.
“What’s critical is that ICE has to articulate probable cause to arrest,” he said. “The worksheet might be helpful for them if they get challenged on that.”
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