Original Date Announced

ICE issued Directive 19010.3 which establishes policies for ICE Law Enforcement Officers and Agents to use Body Worn Cameras (BWCs). The directive mandates that officers activate BWCs at the start of enforcement activities and deactivate them once the activity concludes. Officers who do not activate their BWCs must provide a written explanation. However, the policy allows for exceptions in situations where activation is not feasible due to operational-security concerns or where recording could compromise sensitive investigative techniques. Prohibited recordings include those made solely to document individuals engaged in activity protected by the First Amendment, as well as recordings within healthcare facilities and during courtroom proceedings. The directive also details procedures for managing and storing BWC recordings, as well as reviewing footage in incidents involving serious bodily injury or death in custody.

Trump 2.0 [ID #1632]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.09.17 Reported: ICE officers in fatal Chicago shooting weren't wearing body cameras - NBC

NBC News reports that ICE officers who fatally shot an undocumented immigrant during a vehicle stop in suburban Chicago were not wearing body cameras during the encounter. A senior DHS official stated that body cameras are not in use agency-wide.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin added that "[a]ll [ICE] shootings" are initially reviewed by the agency principally charged with first response to the incident, after which "ICE will conduct an independent review of the critical incident.” According to the article, "[t]he Village of Franklin Park said in a statement that the FBI’s Chicago field office is in charge of the ongoing investigation."

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.07.10 Reported: ICE agents not wearing body cameras during fatal shooting in Houston - AP

The Associated Press reports that the ICE officers involved in the Houston shooting death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican man who lived in the U.S. for more than 35 years, were not wearing body cameras. The reporting includes comments from Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Houston, who said that the acting head of ICE, David Venturella, told her that less than a third of officers nationally have been issued body cameras.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.07.13 Reported: ICE agents not wearing body cameras during fatal shooting in Maine - Portland Press Herald

The Portland Press Herald reports that the ICE officers involved in the Maine shooting death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 26-year old from Colombia with U.S. work authorization, were not wearing body cameras.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.07.19 Reported: ICE officers to use body cameras during vehicle stops - The Guardian

The Guardian reports that Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “border czar,” announced that ICE will require its officers to record vehicle stops with at least one body camera. Homan states that the cameras have been purchased and are being deployed nationwide.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.08.08 Reported: ICE expected to equip all field officers with body worn cameras by end of August - PBS

PBS reports that ICE plans to equip all field officers with body-worn cameras by the end of August 2026. However, ICE has not committed to the public release of footage. Acting ICE Director David J. Venturella has stated that restricting public access to footage is intended to protect ICE and other law enforcement officials.