AP review: Dozens of ICE employees charged with abuse and corruption since 2020

An Associated Press review found that at least two dozen employees and contractors with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been criminally charged since 2020. The cases span allegations of physical and sexual abuse, corruption and other abuses of authority, revealing recurring misconduct across the agency. The reporting also highlights use of contested enforcement tools — including a full-body restraint device used during deportations — even after safety concerns were raised by the Department of Homeland Security’s watchdog.

Wider context

The findings are part of a broader series of AP investigations into U.S. enforcement and security practices, which have unearthed secretive Border Patrol surveillance programs, contractor use of force at overseas aid distributions, and controversial military and law-enforcement operations linked to deaths and alleged plots. Together, the reporting underscores oversight gaps and persistent controversies surrounding U.S. immigration and security operations, as reported by AP News