Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

LetMyPeopleVote

(180,856 posts)
38. ICE says its officers are allowed to enter homes without a judicial warrant, 2025 memo shows
Wed Jan 21, 2026, 08:37 PM
Jan 2026

The policy was revealed in a May 12 memo shared with a U.S. senator by whistleblowers. It changed a longstanding policy by ICE.

ICE says its officers are allowed to enter homes without a judicial warrant, 2025 memo shows

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Mike Walker (@newnarrative.bsky.social) 2026-01-22T00:45:56.761Z

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-changed-policy-allow-officers-agents-enter-homes-judicial-warrant-rcna255305

A May 2025 internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement document shows that the agency told officers and agents they can forcibly enter homes of people without a warrant signed by a judge.

The memo, dated May 12 and which reads that it is from ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, was shared with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., by two whistleblowers.

It says that ICE agents are allowed to forcibly enter a person’s home on administrative warrants, which are different from warrants in which a judge is presented with the request and approves it.

Lyons notes in the document that detaining people “in their residences” based solely on administrative warrants is a change from past policy.

Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not historically relied on administrative warrants alone to arrest aliens subject to final orders of removal in their place of residence, the DHS Office of General Counsel has recently determined that the U.S. Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the immigration regulations do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants for this purpose,” the memo reads.

The memo says that agents may “arrest and detain aliens” in their place of residence who are subject to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or a U.S. district or magistrate judge.....

Blumenthal in a statement said that the newly revealed ICE policy should terrify Americans.

“It is a legally and morally abhorrent policy that exemplifies the kinds of dangerous, disgraceful abuses America is seeing in real time,” Blumenthal said. “In our democracy, with vanishingly rare exceptions, the government is barred from breaking into your home without a judge giving a green light.”

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

When the chief executive has immunity the entire administration has immunity- he can pardon them. Blues Heron Jan 2026 #1
This is huge - get thee to the greatest page malaise Jan 2026 #2
Huge! yellow dahlia Jan 2026 #3
At what point will a court do something? yellow dahlia Jan 2026 #4
At what point will Republicans in Congress do something? Pinback Jan 2026 #30
It truly should be a red line for the members of Congress. yellow dahlia Jan 2026 #32
For whom? ICE? Congress? slightlv Jan 2026 #41
It is of course a rhetorical question. Pinback Jan 2026 #43
You're right, of course, Pinback. slightlv Jan 2026 #48
My sense of justice has also been offended, for many years. Shipwack Jan 2026 #51
Normally HUGE, BUT bluestarone Jan 2026 #5
WTF?!? 2naSalit Jan 2026 #6
No one is safe. poli-junkie Jan 2026 #7
Sheesh - that sums it up. calimary Jan 2026 #59
This must stop! SheltieLover Jan 2026 #8
This behavior started a revolution 250 years ago The Blue Flower Jan 2026 #9
I will refrain from saying what I think about that statement. OldBaldy1701E Jan 2026 #11
Honest question... sop Jan 2026 #16
No. n/t malthaussen Jan 2026 #18
A massive stroke? Heart attack? Fall from heights? Moostache Jan 2026 #44
I wish, but honestly, No. n/t slightlv Jan 2026 #49
Not at this point. OldBaldy1701E Jan 2026 #57
This should be the top story SamuelTheThird Jan 2026 #10
It should be the ONLY story. But its not... Moostache Jan 2026 #47
The media is repuglican. Bush made sure of that slightlv Jan 2026 #50
I can pilfer your house for valuables, too. (You won't need them.) Duncan Grant Jan 2026 #12
Too true, they're already costing people money by damaging their cars (windows, seatbelts, etc.) blue_jay Jan 2026 #64
And the Roberts court knew that this would happen. They are behind this abomination. erronis Jan 2026 #13
Kick dalton99a Jan 2026 #14
Maybe it's different across the country... paleotn Jan 2026 #15
First time I visited Appalachia in TN Farmer-Rick Jan 2026 #20
That happened to me in Texas. Ilsa Jan 2026 #31
That dude may have had a whiskey still out back. Pinback Jan 2026 #33
Unless the goons were in local sheriff or highway patrol cars, my rural neighbors allegorical oracle Jan 2026 #25
Which is exactly the scenario they are hoping for. progressoid Jan 2026 #29
Unless they are murdered by legals. Ilsa Jan 2026 #37
Then they become martyrs for the cause. progressoid Jan 2026 #40
Trump would love to parade around with the dead bodies of a few ICE agents. hunter Jan 2026 #39
This is the problem... malthaussen Jan 2026 #17
If the public doesn't know, what's to stop a homeowner from justifiably shooting them? ChicagoTeamster Jan 2026 #19
Even if the public does know. Susan Calvin Jan 2026 #42
What policy? If you're home is being violently broken into by people who won't announce their office ChicagoTeamster Jan 2026 #52
I'm not quite sure why you're yelling at me. Susan Calvin Jan 2026 #53
I'm not yelling at you, I'm just pointing out that this happens and these ICE agents will get themselves shot ChicagoTeamster Jan 2026 #55
Sigh..... Susan Calvin Jan 2026 #63
Someone else will get killed.... SergeStorms Jan 2026 #21
Todd Lyons wrote the memo. Impeach him! surfered Jan 2026 #22
Don't ICE officers get paid more when they pick people up? Botany Jan 2026 #23
A leaked memo shows ICE agents have been authorized by the Trump administration to illegally force entry into homes LetMyPeopleVote Jan 2026 #24
True irony -- the memo's title is "Protecting the American People Against Invasion". allegorical oracle Jan 2026 #28
I think I've heard them refer to this in videos online. Quanta Jan 2026 #26
The Nixon White House would be proud of a good break-in bucolic_frolic Jan 2026 #27
Cain't get a civil war for nothin'. Kid Berwyn Jan 2026 #34
Smoking Gun James48 Jan 2026 #35
Here is the actual document they use SalamanderSleeps Jan 2026 #36
ICE says its officers are allowed to enter homes without a judicial warrant, 2025 memo shows LetMyPeopleVote Jan 2026 #38
I'm not a lawyer but... Takket Jan 2026 #45
K&R UTUSN Jan 2026 #46
Kick orangecrush Jan 2026 #54
the don't tread on me crowd is silent... oh wait, that's because it's don't tread on "me." themaguffin Jan 2026 #56
Makes me wonder what other secret memos are floating around..... 70sEraVet Jan 2026 #58
No shit - Stephen Miller has been staying up nights FakeNoose Jan 2026 #61
And yet Jeffries does not plan to whip his Dem minority in the House to vote against ICE funding. You know, PatrickforB Jan 2026 #60
So This Was The Authority DallasNE Jan 2026 #62
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»🚨HOLY CRAP. An IC...»Reply #38