ICE Agent Misconduct Allegations Increase Amid Rapid Growth

Internal Records Show Rising ICE Agent Misconduct Allegations

Internal records obtained by Newsweek reveal 148 open allegations of misconduct or potential criminal activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents over the past three years. These allegations include sexual assault, bribery, and drug smuggling.

The records document various issues, such as domestic violence, drunk driving, and misuse of government computers, spanning fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025. This period covers both President Joe Biden’s and Donald Trump’s administrations.

The disclosures also note ten incidents involving the discharge of service weapons, which required mandatory reporting.

Details of ICE’s Investigation Records

Newsweek acquired this information through a Freedom of Information Act request about ICE’s national investigations concerning criminal or misconduct allegations. ICE provided a log of open allegations, showing 18 cases from 2023, 69 from 2024, and 61 from 2025.

The report period aligns with a rapid increase in ICE agent recruitment. In January, the Homeland Department stated that ICE expanded its officer and agent numbers from approximately 10,000 to 22,000 within a year.

Former ICE acting director John Sandweg, who served under President Barack Obama, mentioned that the records do not necessarily suggest an increase in misconduct claims. However, they prompt questions about the timely resolution of investigations.

ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility usually reviews allegations against personnel, investigating misconduct and policy violations. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson affirmed that proper vetting and guidelines are applied diligently to personnel issues.

Analysis of the Allegations

About 30% of the entries, or 44 cases, were labeled under ICE’s internal coding as criminal or non-federal criminal matters. The remaining 104 were deemed non-criminal misconduct, administrative issues, or recorded information.

The records include allegations regarding service weapon discharges, DUI/DWI investigations, misuse of government vehicles, bribery, sexual assault, drug smuggling, domestic violence, and sexual harassment.

The largest categories were misuse of government computers, email, or telephone systems, with 15 cases, followed by misuse-of-position conflict-of-interest allegations and hostile work environment claims.

The records do not disclose individual identities or the outcome of the allegations.

Sandweg emphasized that misuse of position, government property, and workplace harassment are historically common issues in large law enforcement agencies.

Calls for Increased Oversight

Scrutiny of ICE has increased with President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and a rise in enforcement activity. Allegations of excessive force, racial profiling, and accountability have been scrutinized. Several high-profile shootings, including those involving Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, have prompted demands for transparency and better oversight.

These events have led lawmakers like U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson and Seth Magaziner to voice concerns about the lack of discipline and accountability during Trump’s administration.

ICE organized the FOIA data by fiscal year, making it difficult to separate cases opened during Biden’s presidency from those during Trump’s term.