As footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers circulates widely online, concerns have intensified over the legality and proportionality of their tactics. According to an article by former law enforcement officer Michael Bollentin, “The issue isn’t that enforcement occurred, but that it appears to have taken place without clear authority, restraint, or purpose.”
In the article, Bollentin describes footage of ICE officers attempting to box in an observer in her car. The video shows officers ordering her out of the vehicle, and she was detained without cause. “She was taken into custody, only to be released later after an agent received a phone call and diverted to meet the local police chief,” he stated.
The article asserts that the footage described is not a unique incident and that multiple videos circulating in the media show various ways ICE officers have abused power and violated constitutional rights. Some cases that have sparked public outcry include the deaths of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Keith Porter, who were all killed on video during ICE raids.
Most of these cases involved citizens exercising their constitutional rights. In footage of Good’s death, as documented by ABC News, “Good could be seen turning her car’s steering wheel to the right, away from the ICE agent who shot her, just over one second before the first of three gunshots was fired.” Despite footage showing Good’s apparent attempt to flee the scene, the Department of Homeland Security accused Good of attempting to run over the ICE officer and ruled the shooting self-defense. President Donald Trump referred to Good as a “professional agitator.”
“Many of these encounters are initiated without a clear legal basis, then escalate rapidly, with agents using force that conflicts with widely accepted law enforcement standards,” sparking concerns over the lack of accountability. Bollentin explained that many ICE officers have used physical force, chemical agents, pepper-ball munitions and other strategies that violate use-of-force protocols.
Several of the tactics ICE officers have been using carry a significant risk of bodily injury and death. Bollentin, drawing on his experience as a former police officer, said officers are trained to recognize these risks. In law enforcement training, officers are taught to acknowledge, “Force stacking, prolonged prone restraint, and unnecessary escalation with chemical agents are repeatedly identified as dangerous and, in some cases, deadly.”
Bollentin also expressed concern over the legality of ICE detainments. In many of the videos, individuals detained for alleged interference were engaged in constitutionally protected activity, such as speaking, standing nearby and filming ICE conduct. He explained, “Every police academy teaches the same foundational rule: If you do not have lawful authority to detain, you cannot use force.” Additionally, escalation cannot create legal justification for use of force, yet many officers in the videos appear to escalate dangerous situations and use them as justification for force. Bollentin described this tactic as “officer-created jeopardy,” explaining that officers are taught they are responsible for avoiding unnecessary danger.
The article also states that the lack of accountability for ICE officers complicates the responsibilities of local law enforcement. “The public does not distinguish between badges or agencies. They remember the coercion, not the jurisdiction.” Local agencies bear the brunt of hostility in what Bollentin described as a climate of fear and distrust.
“It is not too late for federal immigration agencies to correct course, but doing so will require clear policy enforcement, real accountability, and a recommitment to disciplined, improved training and lawful policing,” Bollentin concluded. He urged law enforcement agencies to consider whether their departments would receive the same level of leniency for similar misconduct and how such behavior affects public trust. He warned that if ICE officers continue this behavior, the damage to the relationship between law enforcement and the public could become irreparable, with local officers facing the consequences.
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