Apple News Today How ICE entered its most aggressive era — and what comes next
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Jan 31, 2026 
Caitlin Dickerson, an investigative reporter at The Atlantic known for deep immigration coverage and a Pulitzer Prize, unpacks ICE’s recent escalation in enforcement. She discusses Minneapolis shootings, rapid recruitment with limited vetting, expanded detention and deportation directives, eroding oversight, and how courts and Congress might respond. The conversation focuses on the most consequential shifts in policy and practice.
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ICE's Mission Shift Since 9/11
- ICE was created within DHS after 9/11 but shifted away from counterterrorism to interior immigration enforcement.
- Under the current administration ICE now receives the largest law-enforcement funding in the federal government.
Abrasive Messaging And Risky Recruitment
- The agency's public messaging has grown harsher and more violent in tone compared with past administrations.
- Caitlin says recruitment materials now include overtures to extremist groups and lack accountability language.
Border Patrol's Different Legal Space
- Border Patrol predates DHS and operates with broader legal leeway because many encountered people haven't entered the U.S. formally.
- Moving Border Patrol officers into cities escalates force and mismatches them with populations less vulnerable to traditional border enforcement tactics.