Trump administration moved to cut funding for ICE body cameras
The administration of US President Donald Trump has sought to limit the expansion of body-worn cameras for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and has reduced oversight staffing within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), undermining transparency during heightened operations.
In its fiscal 2026 budget proposal, the Trump administration recommended cutting funding for ICE's body-camera program by about 75%, from around $20.5 million to $5.5 million, as intensified immigration enforcement has led to protests and fatal incidents.
It planned to retain the current 4,200 cameras but shrink the supporting staff from 22 to three, describing the approach as more "streamlined."
The program, launched as a 2024 pilot in five cities, including Baltimore and Philadelphia, aimed to equip officers with cameras seen as vital for accountability in law enforcement.
Body cameras provide video evidence that can corroborate or challenge official accounts of use-of-force incidents, a cornerstone of police reform efforts.
Yet the administration resisted a broader rollout for immigration personnel, diverging from broader trends.
This stance coincides with a major enforcement surge, bolstered by $170 billion in congressional funding, involving deployments of agents to cities nationwide.
In Minneapolis, two fatal shootings of US citizens, protester Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, have fueled outrage.
Bystander videos have conflicted with DHS claims that the individuals provoked the encounters.
Administration figures, including Stephen Miller, labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist" shortly after his death.
A White House spokeswoman praised ICE officers as "heroic" and criticized detractors for allegedly aiding criminals.
Separately, early 2025 saw nearly 300 oversight staffers across three DHS watchdog offices placed on paid leave, crippling abuse investigations.
A lawsuit contends this effectively dismantled the offices without congressional approval.
The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, for instance, dropped from over 100 employees to a few, with complaints plummeting.
The US House-passed spending bill rejected the full proposed cuts, providing $20 million for cameras at ICE and CBP without requiring deployment.
Senate passage remains uncertain, with some Democrats threatening to withhold DHS funds absent enforcement curbs.
Civil rights advocates argue these actions erode transparency during heightened operations. DHS has not commented on the oversight changes or program status.
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