Exclusive Look Inside ICE: How the Agency Operates in Trump’s America

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has moved from working quietly behind the scenes to operating under intense public scrutiny following former President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. Across the United States, ICE officers are now at the center of a heated national debate as they carry out what has been described as the largest mass deportation effort in American history.

This is the second part of a two-story series examining ICE’s evolving role in the changing landscape of U.S. immigration enforcement.

Inside an ICE Office: Rising Threats and Growing Tensions

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Inside an ICE headquarters located in a suburban office park, a disturbing reminder of the risks agents face is pinned to a cubicle wall. The printed screenshot of a threatening text message reads:

“Get a gun and shoot them in the streets.”
Another line declares, “This is a war.”

Dozens of ICE agents walk past the message every day. In bold capital letters, an officer has written a warning across the printout: “BE VIGILANT!!”

For Keone Feliciano, a Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer with ICE, the message symbolizes the escalating hostility directed toward immigration officers as public anger intensifies over enforcement actions linked to the Trump administration.

ICE Officers Thrust Into the National Spotlight

For decades, many ICE officers operated largely out of public view. That changed dramatically after Trump ordered a nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Agents like Feliciano now find themselves under constant attention, facing criticism, protests, and in some cases, direct threats.

Many officers describe the experience as deeply uncomfortable. They see themselves as patriotic Americans enforcing the law, yet increasingly feel labeled as villains. As one ICE officer put it, “Overnight, we became the bad guys.”

Backlash Against Immigration Enforcement

The aggressive enforcement strategy has triggered widespread backlash. Masked federal agents conducting operations in American communities have become flashpoints for controversy. In recent months, resistance has escalated beyond protests to violent incidents, including shootings, attacks on ICE facilities, and vehicle ramming incidents targeting officers.

Despite these dangers, ICE continues its mission amid growing political division, heightened security concerns, and an uncertain future for immigration enforcement in the United States.