Autocrats often seek to build a secret police answerable only to them. Ours is called ICE.
On Thursday (9/24/2026), Amnesty International called for the dismantling of ICE, the first time in its history it has directed such a conclusion toward the United States government.
The human rights organization investigated immigration enforcement operations in Washington, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and New Orleans.
Amnesty documented:
- In Chicago, some 300 masked federal agents raiding an apartment complex in the middle of the night, rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter, breaking down doors, pointing guns at residents, and pulling people from their beds.
- Agents boxing in vehicles, smashing car windows, and throwing people who were not resisting to the ground.
- Children being separated from family members, and being left in the back seats of cars when their parents were detained.
- In Chicago and Minneapolis, agents repeatedly using chemical irritants against protesters and observers.
- At detention facilities in Illinois, Virginia, and Minnesota, people held in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with inadequate health care and severely restricted access to lawyers.
- Amnesty also examined seven cases in which federal agents used lethal force.
Some of this will sound familiar. We reported here recently on similar tactics during an ICE operation in suburban Frederick, Maryland.
Amnesty says these are patterns and that reforms to ICE will not be enough. It must be dismantled.
Autocrats often seek to build a secret police answerable only to them. Ours is called ICE.
Sources
- Amnesty International — Full report / executive summary
- Amnesty International — Report announcement
- MPR News — Independent coverage
- Associated Press — Chicago South Shore apartment raid
- WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times — South Shore raid and children separated from mothers
- MPR News — Minneapolis vehicle detention and chemical irritants
- MPR News — Minneapolis tear gas and chemical irritants
- CBS Baltimore — Frederick ICE confrontation
- Notes to My Future Self — ICE Brings Batons to Suburbs
