ICE expects every field officer to have a body camera by end of August

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Saturday, Aug. 8, that it expects every field officer and agent to be equipped with a body camera by the end of August. The target would expand camera coverage across ICE’s federal immigration-enforcement operations nationwide.

Wider use of body cameras could create a broader visual record of arrests, searches, use-of-force incidents and other interactions between immigration officers and the public. That footage could become relevant in disputes over what happened during enforcement encounters and in reviews of federal conduct.

ICE’s implementation statement did not specify recording rules, retention periods or standards for releasing footage publicly. The target therefore does not establish that every encounter will be recorded or that all body-camera video will be released.

The Associated Press also noted that ICE’s sister agency, Customs and Border Protection, had not released footage of the fatal January 2026 shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. A Department of Homeland Security budget justification for fiscal 2026 identified body-worn devices used during interactions with noncitizens as part of ICE’s planned technology investments. ICE’s stated next step is to complete deployment to its remaining field officers and agents by the end of August.