The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a report on Thursday alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increasingly utilized force as a standard procedure in its operations. The study analyzed more than 1,200 enforcement actions across eight states between January 2025 and the end of that year, coinciding with the first year of President Trump’s second term. According to the findings, approximately one-third of the documented encounters involved the actual or threatened use of force.
The report documented over 400 instances of officers pushing, tackling, or pinning individuals, and a similar number of cases involving the use of tasers, rubber bullets, or chemical irritants. The ACLU also reported dozens of instances involving neck restraints and chokeholds, tactics that are restricted or banned by many local law enforcement agencies. These encounters took place in public locations including grocery stores, bus stops, and roads, sometimes involving bystanders, children, and journalists.
The research was based on news reports, community group records, and statements from institutions like schools and hospitals. Naureen Shah, a lead author of the report and ACLU policy director, stated that the use of force has become a "default tool" for the agency. Former law enforcement officials noted that ICE has transitioned from targeted operations to more frequent community-based enforcement, aided by increased federal funding. Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security issued a response to the report's findings.