US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is under fire for a memo that seems to allow agents to forcibly enter homes without a judge's warrant. The guidance, which has been internalized by new hires and training materials, contradicts long-standing advice given to immigrant communities about how to protect themselves from raids.
According to advocates, the move collides with the Fourth Amendment protections of the US Constitution, which protects all residents from illegal searches and seizures. The memo advises ICE officers that they can use force to enter a residence based solely on an administrative warrant, even if it does not include judicial approval.
"This is a stark departure from the advice we've been giving our communities for years," said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at the Illinois Council of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We have seen this administration try to bend and twist existing laws to their advantage, but this takes the cake."
The move has sparked outrage among immigrant advocates and legal experts, who argue that it undermines decades of precedent and puts communities at risk. Kevin Fee, legal director of ACLU of Illinois, noted that cases in Illinois where federal agents broke into people's homes without a judicial warrant are "flatly inconsistent" with the Constitution.
"This memo just emphasizes the fundamental lawlessness under this administration," Fee said. "We stand ready to challenge any cases we hear of going forward, but our guidance remains the same: if you don't want law enforcement to search your home, verbally refuse without a judicial warrant being presented."
The shift comes as ICE is ramping up its deportation efforts nationwide, deploying thousands of officers under a mass crackdown that is reshaping enforcement tactics in cities across the country. Federal agents have already been seen ramming doors and arresting people without warrants, including a Liberian man with a deportation order from 2023.
Advocates are warning communities to be vigilant and document any encounters with immigration agents, as they fear that this new guidance will lead to more aggressive enforcement tactics. As Tsao put it, "We have to keep doing what we're doing, educating our communities on how to defend themselves and holding out for accountability one day."
According to advocates, the move collides with the Fourth Amendment protections of the US Constitution, which protects all residents from illegal searches and seizures. The memo advises ICE officers that they can use force to enter a residence based solely on an administrative warrant, even if it does not include judicial approval.
"This is a stark departure from the advice we've been giving our communities for years," said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at the Illinois Council of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We have seen this administration try to bend and twist existing laws to their advantage, but this takes the cake."
The move has sparked outrage among immigrant advocates and legal experts, who argue that it undermines decades of precedent and puts communities at risk. Kevin Fee, legal director of ACLU of Illinois, noted that cases in Illinois where federal agents broke into people's homes without a judicial warrant are "flatly inconsistent" with the Constitution.
"This memo just emphasizes the fundamental lawlessness under this administration," Fee said. "We stand ready to challenge any cases we hear of going forward, but our guidance remains the same: if you don't want law enforcement to search your home, verbally refuse without a judicial warrant being presented."
The shift comes as ICE is ramping up its deportation efforts nationwide, deploying thousands of officers under a mass crackdown that is reshaping enforcement tactics in cities across the country. Federal agents have already been seen ramming doors and arresting people without warrants, including a Liberian man with a deportation order from 2023.
Advocates are warning communities to be vigilant and document any encounters with immigration agents, as they fear that this new guidance will lead to more aggressive enforcement tactics. As Tsao put it, "We have to keep doing what we're doing, educating our communities on how to defend themselves and holding out for accountability one day."
whats next? r they gonna start showing up at ur crib uninvited? 
The idea of immigration agents just waltzing into homes without a warrant is super scary. I mean, think about it - if they can do that, what's next? 
They're basically saying the Fourth Amendment doesn't apply to them anymore. That's not how our justice system works! 
And what about those who can't afford lawyers? What then? 
It's also super concerning that there are already reports of federal agents ramming doors and arresting people without warrants...this is getting out of hand! 
, it's about time ICE started taking action against those who are breaking the law. I mean, if they can just enter homes without a warrant based on an administrative order, that means they don't need to go through all the hassle of getting a judge involved, and that can lead to some really long delays in the deportation process 
. And let's be real, if communities are too scared to even open their doors to immigration agents, that just makes it harder for them to be held accountable for their actions 
. The ACLU is being super overprotective of people's rights as usual, they're more concerned with keeping people in the country than actually enforcing the law 
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. This memo from ICE is just plain crazy – who gives agents carte blanche to kick down doors and enter homes without a warrant? It's like they think they're above the law or something 
. And what about all those communities who've already been traumatized by ICE raids? This is just another layer of pain and fear being added to the mix 
. We need to stand with our immigrant friends and make some noise against this kind of abuse of power 
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. We should all be keeping an eye on this situation 
. It seems like they're just trying to do whatever it takes to enforce their deportation policies, even if it means putting people's lives at risk 
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. If communities feel like they can't trust the system anymore, that's when things start to get really ugly 
. We need accountability, stat! 
, who needs a judge's warrant anyway? I mean, come on, ICE agents are just trying to do their job, and if they can't even rely on some bureaucratic paper to let them in, then what's the point? It's like, hello, they're already taking people away from their homes, might as well just make it easy for themselves. And those advocates are just being dramatic, always whining about something 
.