February 8th 2026
Since Trump’s first mandate, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has become a ground of political controversy in the USA. While ICE and immigration law enforcement existed long before the Trump administration, we have been observing a shift in tactics, structure and funding within ICE.
To what extent can we apply authoritarian characteristics to the transformation of ICE under Trump in relation to recent events in Minneapolis?
ICE History: 2003- Present Day
Following the September 11th terrorist attacks on American soil, ICE was established as part of the Department of Homeland Security by the Bush administration. Separated in several branches, ICE was granted multiple civil and criminal authorities to ensure national and public security.
Their roles?
Oversee deportations, work to remove illegal immigrants and tackle transnational crime. ICE throughout multiple administrations operated more discreetly with limited public visibility- its operations being characterized as administrative rather than ideological.
Under MAGA (Make America Great Again), ICE appeared to undergo a significant reorientation of purpose and public role. Discretion was reduced and officers were encouraged into treating illegal immigrants as a national security threat.
This drift was accompanied by a major expansion of ICE’s resources. ICE financing rose considerably going from $6 billion to $85 billion following the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”.
ICE is now the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the United States, exceeding agencies like the FBI.
Recruitment also changed under Trump’s administration, with generous financial promises, quick hiring process and very few background checks. “You’ve heard about who ICE is recruiting. The truth is far worse. I’m the proof.” Affirms reporter and self-proclaimed Antifascist Laura Jedeed, who went through the recruiting process, which took her approximately less than 6 minutes.
Rhetoric and political ideologies played a significant role in reshaping ICE with Trump continuously describing immigration as a threat to the “American way of life” simultaneously portraying illegal immigrants as “criminals” and “animals”.
Such dehumanising language lowers moral constraints and legitimises the excessive force used by ICE agents on immigrants. Some of the tactics used in those operations can be seen as militarily: heavy weaponry and dozens of agents mobilised, raiding homes and targeting workplaces often without a warrant. These operations further transformed ICE into a symbol of authority rather than a protective force.
Can we really analyse those transformations through authoritarian characteristics?
Political scholars such as Umberto Eco identify several recurrent features of autocratic governance: centralisation of power, scapegoating and fearmongering, and the politicisation of law enforcement.
While we can’t classify the United States as a fascist state, we can however observe that fascist tendencies are embodied within the Trump administration. ICE recently, exhibited several of these characteristics.
Immigration operations are framed as loyalty to the executive power rather than a loyalty towards the rule of law and the American constitution. Critics and protestors are targeted by the administration and classified as threats to national stability. This constant violation of rights raises an important question about democratic accountability.
Minneapolis: The Brutal Killings of Two American Citizens: Renee Good and Alex Pretti
Immigration operations in Minneapolis have generated a considerable public outrage, particularly since the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026.
Video evidence and journalist reporting suggest excessive use of force during the two encounters, where on both occasion the individuals were not suspected of a violent crime.
The killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and an American citizen, during an ICE immigration operation sparked widespread protest and intensified questions around ICE’s legitimacy within democratic barriers. Such operations extend beyond immigration control and function more as demonstrations of state power, particularly in Democrat led cities.
By framing protests, immigrants and simple bystanders or observers as security threat, the Trump administration undermines freedom of expression and assembly, reinforcing authoritarian tendencies. Minneapolis, a city with a relatively low undocumented population depicts how the ICE intervention extends beyond immigration. Rather, it serves as a mechanism to determine the extent of which the government can use violence against its population.
This is the main distinction between tyranny and democracy.
When the government tells the population that the ICE agents involved in the shooting of Renee Good enjoy “absolute immunity” and label Alex Pretti as a “terrorist” before investigation is complete, thus legitimise this violence. ICE has its own set of rules in which they violate constitutional rights.
When violence is unpunished it breeds more violence.
Written by Martin Pallu De Beaupuy
References
Chappell, B. (2026) How ICE grew to be the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency. NPR.
Hadzhidimova, L. (2023) ‘Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’, in The Handbook of Homeland Security. Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp. 79–85.
(2025) La journaliste qui s’est fait recruter (beaucoup trop) facilement par l’ICE. Courier International.
Jedeed, L. (2025) ‘You’ve Heard About Who ICE Is Recruiting. The Truth Is Far Worse. I’m the Proof.’ Slate.
Le Monde (2026) Que sait-on de la mort d’Alex Pretti, cet infirmier de 37 ans tué par la police fédérale de l’immigration à Minneapolis ?
Le Monde (2026b) Minneapolis : la mort d’Alex Pretti, tué par la police fédérale de l’immigration, attise la colère dans une ville déjà traumatisée
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (n.d.) About ICE.
USASpending.gov (2026) Agency Profile: Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Ipsos (2026) Americans place high importance on immigration officer training and conduct, 2 February. Washington DC: Ipsos
