Gone in 90 Seconds: How ICE Went Quiet — And Expanded Its Reach

At first glance ICE appears less theatrical than it was during last year’s high-profile raids. But beneath the quieter surface, immigration enforcement has widened its footprint — embedding itself in airports, neighborhoods, workplaces and local policing.

What Changed

The administration publicly pledged to reduce dramatic, media-friendly operations. Instead of armored vehicles and mass public raids, agents now favor rapid, low-visibility arrests that witnesses say can take as little as 90 seconds from arrival to removal.

Personal Stories That Illustrate a Broader Pattern

Several incidents reported to journalists and lawyers show how the new tactics play out in everyday settings:

• In Miami, a Cuban man was detained seconds after stepping outside to drop a trash bag in a bin.
• In Danbury, Connecticut, an Ecuadorian father was arrested right after sending his six-year-old onto the school bus.
• At Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, a Venezuelan man identified as Y says officers would not explain his arrest or accept a court order preventing deportation; four days later he was placed on a flight and only removed from the plane at the last minute when ICE acknowledged a possible error.

Violence and High-Profile Incidents Persist

Even as operations have become stealthier, violent encounters continue to make headlines. Recent cases include the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin and a deadly car crash in Grand Rapids when a driver allegedly fled federal immigration agents.

“The detentions are happening in a flash — we’re talking, like, 90 seconds from the time ICE shows up to that person being driven away,”

Scale, Funding, And Local Partnerships

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has significantly increased its capacity: roughly $75 billion in congressional funding, a workforce that has grown to more than 22,000 officers and staff, and a sharp expansion of cooperative agreements with local agencies. As of 15 September, ICE had signed more than 2,500 287(g) agreements that deputize local officers to enforce immigration laws.

DHS declined to discuss operational tactics but confirmed an emphasis on airports and said the department was working to prevent people in the U.S. without authorization from boarding flights except to self-deport.

Local Policing And The “Invisibilizing” Of Enforcement

By embedding immigration enforcement in local law enforcement, critics say the government has made a larger, less visible enforcement presence. In Memphis, a police raid at the El Corralón bar that began as an investigation into alleged gambling and drugs turned into a sweep that detained roughly 120 people after officers asked patrons about immigration status.

Immigration attorneys warn that local officers often lack training in immigration law, increasing the risk of wrongful detentions. One high-profile example: Brian José Morales García, born in Denver, was stopped on his way to work, deported to Mexico despite asserting U.S. citizenship, and later returned only after lawyers produced proof.

Policy Changes That Broaden Removability

The administration has pursued policy shifts and legal strategies that expand who may be detained or removed. Recent developments cited by attorneys and researchers include:

• Efforts to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for groups that together affect hundreds of thousands of people.
• New rules barring some applicants for permanent residence if they or certain relatives use specified public benefits.
• Increased use of “third-country” deportation agreements, with more than 23,000 people expelled in the past year to countries where they have no ties, according to reporting.

Mass Hearings, In-Absentia Orders And Forced Choices

The government has also scheduled “mega-master” immigration hearings — mass court sessions set at short notice. When people cannot attend, judges have issued removal orders in absentia. After attorneys began raising alarms in May, judges issued 53,808 in-absentia removal orders in June — a 55% increase — and researchers report over 13,000 of those followed mass hearings with 100 or more people.

Long detention waits and the threat of prolonged incarceration push many detainees to accept voluntary deportation even when they may have valid claims to remain. Attorneys report persistent pressure on parents and other vulnerable people to sign away their rights to speed their release.

Data And Sources

This article relies on reporting from immigration lawyers, advocates and victims, and on enforcement data compiled by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley. The Guardian’s reporting follows that project’s methodology for categorizing ICE apprehension methods.

Note: Some names have been withheld to protect sources’ privacy and safety.