Inside the Surge: DHS Enforcement and the Voices of ICE Agents
As immigration became a defining focus of Donald Trump’s second administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken center stage. Under the 2025 One Big Gorgeous Bill Act, DHS received more than $80 billion in additional funding and, in January, announced it had hired more than 12,000 new agents . Even as cities like Los Angeles and Minneapolis have seen a surge of immigration officers, DHS has maintained a level of opacity around its operations.
The Shadow of Enforcement
Officers carrying out raids and arrests are often masked and driving in unmarked cars. As enforcement pulls in federal law enforcement personnel from across the government, it has become difficult to identify what agency a given officer works for. Though DHS has been combative with the media, ICE agents themselves have remained largely quiet, even if some have mixed feelings about their perform and the agency’s direction.
“Confessions of an ICE Agent”
Karl Loftus, an independent journalist, started a project called “Confessions of an ICE Agent” on his Instagram account, @deadcrab_films, following the immigration surge in Minneapolis. He publishes interviews with people working in immigration enforcement across DHS, including agents and officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations, as well as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Loftus offers anonymity in exchange for a glimpse into the experiences of those inside the agency, creating an archive of this moment in history.
Inside Voices
In one post, a biracial agent, speaking shortly after Trump announced he would be replacing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, told Loftus he believed Noem was a “DEI” hire. Another HSI agent called the people leading the US government “imbeciles,” stating they were “disgusted by nearly all of them.” A further HSI agent expressed concerns about DHS colleagues violating the law and complained of having to pause investigations into child sexual abuse cases to focus on immigration work. “If they gave child exploitation cases a fraction of the attention, funding, resources, personnel, analytical support, etc. That they’re now giving immigration enforcement, we could do so much good,” they said.
DHS Response
A DHS spokesperson responded to a request for comment, stating that they cannot verify anonymous interviews but that DHS and its Homeland Security Investigations unit “is not slowing down and remains committed to all aspects of its mission, leveraging a whole-of-government approach to address threats to public safety and national security.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The increased funding and enforcement actions stem from the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) Act in July 2025. This legislation secured $165 billion in appropriations for DHS . Key provisions include $46.5 billion to complete construction of the border wall, $14.4 billion for removal transportation, $12 billion in state reimbursements for states that fought against the Biden administration’s open border policies, $4.1 billion to hire additional CBP personnel (3,000 customs officers and 3,000 Border Patrol agents), $3.2 billion for new technology, $2.7 billion for border surveillance, and $855 million to expand the CBP vehicle fleet . The law also provides ICE with funding to hire 10,000 new agents, potentially increasing deportations to as high as 1 million per year, and secures 80,000 new ICE beds .
Legislative Context
Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill through the reconciliation process, bypassing the Senate’s normal 60-vote requirement for legislation . The bill passed the Senate by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The House of Representatives passed the bill 218-214, with all Democrats voting against it and joined by two Republicans .