Donald Trump's second presidential term has seen a rapid rise in the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. AdvertisementOnce a relatively obscure branch of law enforcement, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have fast become the sharp point of Donald Trump's mass deportation initiative. Such a significant upscaling of a branch of law enforcement is unusual — and unprecedented in the history of ICE, which was formed in 2002. This media and social media push, which uses recruitment tools that lean heavily on key Trump messaging, has proved controversial. Though not without its detractors, the recruitment drive has worked, on some levels at least, concluded Hamilton.

Source: Washington Post January 17, 2026 10:24 UTC