Judging Freedom

Coleen Rowley : An FBI Veteran Examines ICE Lawlessness.

Feb 2, 2026
Coleen Rowley, former FBI special agent and legal counsel known for whistleblowing, discusses ICE lawlessness. She recounts how wartime tactics and militarized training erode deadly-force standards. She highlights recruitment and training failures, problematic administrative warrants, and obstacles to accountability. She urges legal and congressional remedies to curb misconduct.
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INSIGHT

War Mentality Shifted Domestic Policing

  • The war-on-terror mentality imported battlefield deadly-force norms into domestic policing and law enforcement.
  • Coleen Rowley warns those loosened standards directly led to unlawful shootings and diminished traditional training to avoid killing innocents.
INSIGHT

Incentives And Short Training Produce Risk

  • Hiring incentives and minimal training invited the wrong recruits into ICE roles and encouraged militarized behavior.
  • Rowley links $50,000 bonuses and 47-day training to a culture that prizes numbers and force over careful policing.
ANECDOTE

Post‑9/11 Calls To Copy Israeli Tactics

  • Rowley recounts immediate post-9/11 pressure to adopt Israeli tactics including attack dogs and harsher methods.
  • She describes Israeli officers giving talks urging U.S. agencies to stop 'being nice' and emulate Israeli practices.
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