The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field offices will be equipped with body cameras within the next 60 days, following recent fatal shootings involving ICE officers. About half of the offices already have the devices, while the remaining will receive them in the coming weeks, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The move comes after two immigrants were fatally shot by ICE officers in Texas and Maine last week, neither of whom were wearing body cameras at the time.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and other lawmakers had called for the expedited deployment of body cameras in response to the incidents. The Trump administration confirmed the rollout on Thursday, though questions remain about the effectiveness of the devices in use.
Contradictory reports emerged regarding the Maine shooting, where ICE officials told The Intercept that officers at the scene were wearing body cameras—specifically Motorola SVX Video Remote Speaker Microphones—but the devices were not activated. The cameras are part of a multi-function tool primarily used as radio microphones, and ICE officials stated they are not currently using the camera function due to an existing contract with Axon, a law enforcement tech firm. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin had previously told Sen. Angus King (I-ME) that officers involved in the shooting were not wearing body cameras.
The push for body cameras has gained bipartisan support, with advocates arguing they enhance accountability and transparency. Lauren Bonds, executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, told NPR that body-worn cameras have been instrumental in exposing excessive force and contradicting false narratives in incident reports. However, the rollout has faced delays, with DHS initially pledging to equip all agents with cameras following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year. White House Border Czar Tom Homan acknowledged that funding constraints had slowed the process, though hundreds of cameras were sent to Minnesota after the January incidents.
Critics and supporters of the policy continue to debate its implications, with some lawmakers emphasizing the need for immediate deployment to protect both officers and the public. The DHS has not yet provided a timeline for full implementation beyond the initial 60-day window for the remaining field offices.