The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to avoid interacting with protesters, Reuters reported Thursday.
An email sent by a senior ICE official reportedly warns agents to not communicate or engage with “agitators,” which only serves to “inflame the situation,” according to the outlet. The internal guidance directs ICE agents to instead focus on immigrants with “criminal charges or convictions.”
“DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS,” the email read, Reuters reported. “It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands.”
Agents will also receive megaphones and are directed to “verbalize every step of the arrest process,” although the internal guidance does not mention what agents should do if commands are ignored, according to Reuters.
“We’re glad to see the media finally reporting what we have been saying since day 1: DHS law enforcement is prioritizing the arrest and removal of dangerous public safety threats,” Assistant DHS Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation sent post-publication. “Under President Trump’s and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS has always remained been steadfast in targeting dangerous criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, drug traffickers, gang members, and terrorists. 70% of ICE’s arrests are of criminal illegals charged or convicted with a crime in the U.S.”
“While our prioritization is criminal illegal aliens, let this serve as a reminder: If you are in the country illegally, you are not off the table. We are not going to ignore the rule of law. We encourage all illegal aliens to avoid arrest by using the CBP Home app to receive a $2,600 and a free flight home,” McLaughlin added.
Anti-ICE protesters have clashed with federal law enforcement following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Rioters have attacked agents at several businesses, including hotels and restaurants.
President Donald Trump has recently touted a pair of what he called “very good” phone calls with Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
The Trump administration’s DHS has made several operational changes to ICE after the shooting. The DHS demoted Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino was demoted and removed from the state while the president directed border czar Tom Homan to manage ICE operations in Minnesota on Monday.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the statement from the DHS sent post-publication.
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