The Indicator from Planet Money

How well are ICE's 12,000 new officers being trained?

February 18, 2026

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  • The rapid expansion of ICE, which more than doubled its ranks through aggressive recruitment tactics like large signing bonuses, has led to increased scrutiny regarding the agency's performance and tactics, including incidents involving U.S. citizens. 
  • New ICE recruits receive 14 weeks of training, which is fewer weeks than previously, shorter than the national average for state/local law enforcement, and includes the replacement of five weeks of Spanish instruction with unspecified translation services. 
  • Experts suggest that problematic behavior observed in ICE and CBP agents may stem more from the implicit or explicit direction of long-standing supervisors and peers—who may prioritize aggressive tactics—rather than failures in the formal training curriculum. 

Segments

ICE Hiring Boom Context
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(00:00:25)
  • Key Takeaway: ICE’s ranks more than doubled through aggressive recruitment, including $50,000 signing bonuses.
  • Summary: The hiring boom for ICE was unprecedented, resulting in a workforce more than double its previous size. The agency aggressively recruited by waiving age requirements and offering substantial signing bonuses. This rapid growth has made ICE a highly scrutinized workplace due to visible and sometimes questionable performance.
Concerns Over Tactics and Training
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(00:00:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Many individuals apprehended by ICE lack criminal convictions, and some U.S. citizens have been detained, prompting calls for better training or culture shifts.
  • Summary: The majority of immigrants caught in the crackdown often have no criminal convictions or may even possess legal status, and U.S. citizens have also been taken into custody. Public opinion surveys indicate increasing numbers of Americans feel the immigration crackdown has gone too far. Some leaders are calling for the dismantling of ICE, while others suggest the need for improved training or a fundamental culture shift.
Federal Training Center Details
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(00:02:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, which train ICE recruits, received $750 million from a Trump administration law and feature extensive facilities, including a 35-acre replica city.
  • Summary: The Trump administration’s tax and spending law allocated $750 million to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, which train ICE, Border Patrol, and CBP. The main campus near Brunswick, Georgia, is vast enough to have its own zip code, featuring dorms, ranges, and a 35-acre mock city used for scenario training like crowd control.
Training Protocol vs. Reality
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(00:03:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Former instructor Mark noted that observed agent behavior in circulating videos often contradicts established protocols regarding engagement with protesters.
  • Summary: Trainees were instructed that protesters have the right to protest an agent’s presence and that agents should not engage or debate their points. The protocol emphasizes securing the arrested person quickly and leaving the scene without lingering or interacting with the crowd. Mark expressed concern that recent videos of federal agents do not appear to follow these safety and de-escalation protocols.
Contradictory Training Hour Claims
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(00:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: DHS claims officers receive the same training hours, but data shows new ICE recruits receive 14 weeks of instruction, which is shorter than previous ICE training and the national law enforcement average.
  • Summary: There is contradictory information regarding the duration of instruction for new ICE recruits, with some officials claiming training has been shortened while the agency denies this. Based on DHS numbers, new ICE recruits receive 14 weeks of training. This duration is less than what ICE agents previously received and is shorter than the average training period for state and local law enforcement officers.
Impact of Training Changes
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(00:05:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The reduction in Spanish instruction and concerns over field training quality raise worries about the long-term implications for ICE officer performance.
  • Summary: A major change in ICE training involved replacing five weeks of Spanish instruction with translation services, according to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. Economists are worried about the implications of these rapid program changes, including insufficient high-quality field training where new officers learn from experienced ones.
Field Training and Force Usage
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(00:05:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Research indicates that recruits paired with aggressive field training officers are significantly more likely to use force themselves, potentially for their entire careers.
  • Summary: Studies using Dallas Police Department data found that a recruit assigned to a field training officer who frequently used force was significantly more likely to use force themselves for at least three years post-training. This suggests that new law enforcement officers model their behavior after experienced ones, making implicit direction from senior officers a major influence.
Culture Over Formal Training
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(00:06:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Policing experts believe problematic agent conduct is likely due to supervisory culture rather than failures in formal training, citing veteran status of implicated agents.
  • Summary: Law professor Seth Stoughton suggests that problematic conduct seen in ICE and CBP agents is likely not a training failure, as some publicly identified agents are long-standing veterans. If a supervisor explicitly directs agents to use tactics that contradict training—like breaking windows if compliance is not immediate—agents will follow supervisory and peer expectations. This cultural pressure can override formal instruction on avoiding unnecessary force.
Accountability and Future Lawsuits
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(00:07:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Experts anticipate multiple lawsuits against federal agencies, but believe the administration views legal settlements as merely the cost of doing business, undermining accountability.
  • Summary: Both experts expect the administration to face numerous lawsuits concerning the immigration crackdown tactics. However, Seth Stoughton argues that the administration’s approach to accountability appears performative, removing a key incentive for agents to act professionally. Financial consequences alone are unlikely to motivate change if the agency treats legal costs as an expected operational expense.