When agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct arrests of non-citizens, they frequently employ deception about their identity and intentions. These deceptive tactics are known as “ruses.”
Ruses are not merely isolated incidents; they are officially endorsed ICE policy. They are taught to new agents at the ICE Training Academy and operate with minimal oversight. The Immigrant Defense Project’s (IDP) lawsuit, Immigrant Defense Project, et al. v. ICE, et al., has brought internal ICE training documents and memos concerning ruses to light, making them publicly accessible. Arising from this Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, IDP has developed the Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests Toolkit, available in both English and Spanish. This legal action highlights the importance of understanding ICE tactics, which are far removed from the principles of a Target Uniform Law Suit, and more deeply rooted in immigration enforcement procedures.
IDP has been monitoring ICE arrests, tactics, and trends since 2013 and has verified hundreds of reported raids, many of which involve the agency’s use of ruses.
ICE’s use of ruses has become more prevalent since 2017, although their broader tactics are constantly changing. Being informed about ICE tactics like ruses is crucial for preventing arrests and safeguarding your family. Continue reading to learn about the types of ruses ICE employs, their motivations for using them, and effective strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones. IDP offers further Know Your Rights resources here, including a flyer detailing how ICE impersonates local police, available in English and Spanish.
What Exactly is an ICE Ruse?
On the morning of July 19th, around 10:00 AM, two ICE officers approached a home in Brooklyn, near Coney Island. The agents, in unmarked clothing from the front, knocked on the door. CM and her friend approached the door but did not open it. Speaking in broken Spanish, the agents claimed they wanted to discuss the bible. CM and her friend remained behind the closed door. The agents soon left, and as they turned, CM and her friend noticed “ICE” printed on the back of their jackets. These agents then proceeded to several other apartments.
– Story 1255 [CM], Brooklyn, NY, January 2019 [Initials assigned to protect identities].
IDP MapReport ruse in person
A ruse is a deliberate tactic used by ICE to gain access to a pre-identified individual they intend to arrest. The aim of a ruse is to entice a person into a public area or secure permission to enter a residence to ascertain if the target individual is present. Once ICE agents can visually confirm the presence of their target, they can achieve their goal of apprehension and arrest.
ICE agents are not only permitted but also encouraged to utilize ruses. They employ ruses to enter homes without judicial warrants or to gather information about their targets. A frequent ruse involves ICE agents falsely representing themselves as local law enforcement to conceal their true identity as ICE.
Judicial warrants are rarely in the possession of ICE agents, making consent necessary for legal entry into a home. Knowing that individuals are unlikely to grant consent if aware they are dealing with ICE, agents resort to misrepresentation. They lie about their identity and purpose, hoping unsuspecting individuals will grant them entry, unaware of their right to refuse.
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In ICE’s Own Words:
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“A ruse is a tactic designed to control the time and location of a law enforcement encounter. The result is improved safety for the officers and the public by reducing the opportunity for the target to flee.”
– ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Fugitive Operations Handbook, July 23, 2010.
Translation: By deceiving you about our identity and intentions, you are less likely to exercise your right to deny us entry or refuse to answer questions.
“The USMS [US Marshal Service], FBI and various other federal, state and local agencies have successfully used ‘ruses’ to lure targets to locations where the arrests were made with the least amount of danger to both the officers and targets. The use of a ruse during an arrest means that we control the time and location, not the target.[…] Ruses can run the gamut from announcing that you are with ORO and looking for a person other than the target to adopting the guise of another agency (federal, state or local) or that of a private entity.”
– John Torres, Acting Director of ICE, Memorandum on Use of Ruses During Arrest Operations, Aug. 15, 2005.
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Why Does ICE Rely on Ruses?
ICE utilizes ruses to gain entry into private residences or extract information without disclosing their ICE affiliation. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, applicable to everyone in the United States regardless of immigration status, protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures.
This means ICE is legally prohibited from entering a home without a judicial warrant (a warrant authorized by a judge) or explicit voluntary consent from a resident adult. Since they rarely possess judicial warrants, they depend on consent to legally enter your home. Ruses are a tool ICE agents use to bypass the need for warrants by deceiving residents into granting entry without realizing they are dealing with ICE.
While ICE agents may claim to possess a “warrant,” they often refer to administrative warrants. It’s critical to understand that administrative warrants are not equivalent to judicial warrants. An administrative warrant is an ICE internal form, not signed by a judge, and requires a lower legal standard to obtain compared to a judicial warrant.
In ICE’s Own Words:
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“Because neither a Warrant for Arrest of Alien (1-200) nor an administrative Warrant of Removal (1-205) authorizes you to enter the subject’s residence or anywhere else affording a reasonable expectation of privacy, you must obtain voluntary consent before entering a residence.”
– ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Fugitive Operations Handbook, July 23, 2010.
Translation: We are aware that our administrative warrant does not authorize us to enter your home; therefore, we must secure your permission to come inside.
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– ICE Academy, ICE Fourth Amendment and Policy Refresher, undated ICE training materials.
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– Undated ICE Fourth Amendment presentation.
How Does ICE Locate Individuals?
ICE has significantly enhanced its capacity to track and surveil individuals targeted for deportation. Typically, ICE conducts investigations, utilizing databases and field surveillance to gather information, including verifying addresses, workplaces, and other frequented locations. Through surveillance, agents visually identify their target, assess their routines, and identify household members.
Ruses serve not only for warrantless home entry but also during field surveillance to gather intelligence. A prevalent ruse is impersonating local police. By pretending to be local law enforcement investigating fictitious crimes or suspects, ICE agents attempt to ascertain if their target is home and, if not, their whereabouts.
During these ruses, ICE agents often dress in plain clothes (without uniforms or visible ICE badges), wear colors similar to local police uniforms, or wear vests marked “POLICE.” They identify themselves as police officers and claim to be investigating a criminal case or suspect. Sometimes, they might display a photograph of a “suspect” falsely identified with the name of someone residing at the home, even if the photo is not of that person. ICE employs ruses in field surveillance to pinpoint the location of their target non-citizen.
In ICE’s Own Words:
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Translation: ICE agents are instructed to use surveillance, including observing your home and workplace, questioning your contacts (family, friends, neighbors, employer), and even looking into your windows.
– Undated ICE Fourth Amendment presentation.
Does ICE Train Officers to Use Ruses?
Yes. ICE agents are explicitly taught that ruses are permissible (with very few limitations) and receive training on how to execute them. Their training includes suggested ruses and techniques to deceive and confuse individuals.
ICE agents receive specific training on redirecting focus and controlling conversations. They learn conversational tactics to obscure their identity and objectives, making people feel falsely secure or obligated to grant entry or share information.
Remember: Always ask clarifying questions before opening your door or allowing anyone inside. If someone at your door claims to be police or law enforcement, ask for specifics. Both ICE and local law enforcement require either a judicial warrant or consent to enter your home. When using ruses and posing as police, ICE agents often ask to just “take a quick look around” or “step inside to talk.” This tactic distracts you from realizing they are seeking consent to enter, aiming to prevent you from exercising your right to refuse permission.
In ICE’s Own Words:
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– ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, 4th Amendment Training (Refresher for Enforcement & Removal Operations Fugitive Operations), July 2011.
At 6:20 am, a knock came at the door of MC’s home, where she lives with her husband, children, and another family. Three men in dark blue vests marked “POLICE” were knocking on the windows and door. The window knocks woke MC’s 8-year-old autistic child, who began to cry. Without opening the door, MC asked who was there in English, and the men responded “police.” They then asked for someone named Lucas. MC stated no one by that name lived there. The men then asked if she could open the door because it was cold outside. They then asked MC if she spoke Spanish. Upon confirming she did, they claimed they just wanted to verify that the men in the house were not the ones they were looking for. MC asked if they had a warrant to enter, which they admitted they did not. MC refused entry, mentioning young children in the home. The agents insisted they only wanted to “take a quick look.” MC remained unresponsive. One agent then threatened that they would remain outside for 24 hours if she didn’t open the door. She reiterated her refusal. Eventually, the men departed in three unmarked cars, one with tinted windows.
Common Types of ICE Ruses
Impersonating local law enforcement is a frequent ICE tactic. ICE agents commonly identify themselves as “police” or “law enforcement,” mimicking the behavior and attire of local officers. To maintain this deception, they conceal ICE badges or any ICE identification. They often wear plain clothes, similar colors to local police uniforms, and/or vests labeled “POLICE.”
As part of a ruse, ICE agents intentionally fabricate information about their identity and their true purpose, which is to locate and arrest their target non-citizen. When posing as local police, they might claim to be conducting a criminal investigation or identity theft case. They might request to show you photos of a “crime suspect” to see if you recognize them.
ICE ruses extend beyond impersonating police. They also include posing as potential employers or even representatives of private businesses. Agents might use vehicles resembling delivery vans, wear fake uniforms, or carry props like ladders or clipboards. They may intentionally be vague about their affiliation.
Ruses aren’t limited to in-person encounters. Phone ruses are also employed by ICE to locate their targets. Through surveillance, ICE may obtain a target’s phone number without knowing their physical location.
Phone ruses used by ICE include pretending to be:
- Local police seeking answers to a few questions.
- Local police requesting a meeting because you are a suspect in a criminal case.
- Someone who found your lost ID and needs to arrange a pickup time and location.
- Calling from a local District Attorney’s office to arrange a meeting.
- Calling from a local court to confirm an upcoming court date or update contact information.
ICE operates with very few restrictions on ruses. However, they are prohibited from using ruses that suggest immediate danger requiring compliance (e.g., a gas leak requiring evacuation) or involving non-ICE personnel in the ruse. They are also supposed to obtain permission or at least inform local or state agencies before using their names in a ruse.
ICE adapts and evolves their tactics over time, and may develop new ruses not listed here.
In ICE’s Own Words:
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– ICE Academy Detention and Removal Operations Training Division, “Verbal Techniques/Communication for Consent”, undated.
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– Undated ICE Fourth Amendment presentation.
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– Undated ICE Fourth Amendment presentation.
Examples of raids reported to our ICEwatch map:
Six ICE agents arrived at RD’s Bronx home at 5:30 am. His wife answered, and the agents, not identifying as ICE, asked for RD. She said he wasn’t home. One agent then identified himself as “Detective Chad” from Manhattan, claimed to be investigating a criminal case, and left a card. RD’s wife informed him of this, and RD, believing it was NYPD, called the agent, offering to go to the precinct. However, the agent preferred to come to RD’s home. They arranged a home visit. Upon arrival, the agents arrested RD, revealing their ICE identity only then.
MG, a construction contractor, received a call from a potential client. MG and a colleague arrived at the job site, a private home, at 8 am the next day. A “worker” in paint-splattered pants and work boots was waiting. After inspecting the house, the “worker” asked MG if he wanted the job. MG agreed, and the “worker” asked him to wait ten minutes for his boss. MG and his colleague waited by their car. Ten minutes later, a van arrived with three ICE agents. The “worker” identified himself as ICE and asked for IDs. After checking IDs, agents told MG’s colleague to leave and arrested MG.
Plain-clothes ICE agents came to MM’s house at 7 am, asking for him. MM was out, and his step-daughter answered. Agents claimed to be investigating a criminal case, not identifying themselves, and assured her MM wasn’t in trouble but they just needed to ask questions. Believing them to be police, she gave them MM’s phone number. ICE agents called MM, stating they were investigating a case about “someone he knew” and had questions. They gave a generic name, suggesting MM knew the person. ICE asked to meet at a police precinct. MM asked which one, and they replied “whichever is closest.” Becoming suspicious, MM didn’t go to the nearest (23rd precinct) at the agreed time. ICE called back, asking his location, stating they were waiting. They then asked him to come to 26 Federal Plaza. Only then did MM realize they were ICE.
Two plain-clothes ICE agents arrived at VS’s home at 6:30 am. VS wasn’t there, but agents got his phone number from VS’s wife, who believed they were police. Agents called VS, claiming to be police investigating an “incident.” VS told them his location in New Jersey, and they arrested him there.
Plain-clothes ICE agents pounded on HVJ’s sister’s apartment door at 5 am. His sister answered; agents, without identifying themselves, asked for HVJ, saying they needed to verify he lived there. HVJ’s sister, thinking they were NYPD, called HVJ, asking him to come over. Upon arrival, agents arrested him, then identified themselves as ICE.
ICE agents called YL’s mom at 6:30 am, pretending to be NYPD. They told her YL needed to go to the 83rd precinct to view photos from an accident he was supposedly involved in. YL’s mom told YL about the call. When YL went to the 83rd precinct later, ICE agents arrested him just outside.
How to Protect Yourself from ICE Ruses
Understanding ICE tactics provides you with protection and agency during an encounter, especially when they attempt to trick you out of asserting your rights. IDP offers Know Your Rights materials, including flyers, posters, and infographics summarizing common ICE ruses used in person and over the phone.
If someone comes to your door or calls, have a plan for what to ask.
- Request identification and agency affiliation. If they say “police,” ask if they are from DHS or ICE.
- Ask them to show a warrant by sliding it under the door. If they present one, verify it’s signed by a judge (not an ICE administrative warrant) and has the correct name/address before allowing entry.
- If they lack a judicial warrant, they are seeking consent to enter. You have the right to refuse entry.
If you suspect ICE or law enforcement is trying to enter, plan to keep them out.
- You have the right to keep your door closed and remain silent.
- If they don’t have a warrant, state: “I do not want to answer any questions or let you in.”
If ICE is already inside your home, know what to do.
- If ICE agents are inside without your permission [or you want to revoke prior permission], say: “I do not consent to you being inside, please leave.” Repeat this until they depart.
- If agents request passports or IDs, you can say: “I don’t want to provide my documents” or “I don’t want to give anything over.” Always prioritize your safety when asserting your rights. You can refuse to share documents, but if coerced, still state you are not voluntarily sharing this information.
Five ICE agents, three in plain clothes and two in vests marked POLICE, arrived at MG’s Far Rockaway home at 6 am. They knocked and told MG’s roommate they were police looking for MG. The roommate closed the door and informed MG. MG went to the closed door and asked who it was. ICE agents claimed to be probation officers with papers for him to sign to verify his residence. MG asked them to slide papers under the door, which they refused. An agent then called MG in Spanish from an unknown number, repeating they were probation and wanted to verify his address, again refusing to slide papers under the door. MG looked out the window and saw the officer tell others he wasn’t coming out. Some officers left, but two remained. MG called the probation office, who confirmed they had not sent anyone.
For more information on ICE encounters, see IDP’s Know Your Rights flyers, graphics, and other resources.
icewatch-homepage-iconICEwatch
IDP tracks ICE raids and arrest trends on our ICEwatch map. The map is not updated in real-time.
To report an ICE raid involving ruses, call the Immigrant Defense Project Helpline at (212) 725-6422.
To learn more about protecting yourself from ICE, explore our Know Your Rights flyers, graphics, and other resources.
