How mass deportations and far-left riots have changed ICE's training academy

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — You will find over 100 agencies represented at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, where recruits are trained to become officers or agents. But no other agency or department that trains at FLETC has gotten more attention this year than U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Blaze News was able to tour and observe ICE training with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and other members of the media last week. The basic course to become an ICE officer at FLETC takes eight weeks, with two weeks of training before and after the course. The agency has received over 115,000 applications since the Department of Homeland Security launched its recruitment drive when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July.

‘ICE officers and special agents aren’t trained to handle civil disturbances.’

Lyons said the training has been streamlined to cut down on repetition so that new agents are still trained on what they need to know to get out into the field, but without wasting time. The Trump administration wants to reach 1 million deportations per year.

“One of my things that I really held my ground on [was] the fact that I wasn’t going to water down training. … Having gone through it myself, I know exactly what we need,” he stated.

Looking to hire an additional 10,000 deportation agents to bolster the current force of around 6,000, Lyons explained that the large pool of applicants means ICE is able to be selective on who is given an offer. Many of the applicants already have a law enforcement background.

Lyons told Blaze News he is “happy” to see applicants are willing to carry out ICE’s important mission and are not deterred by the violence and threats from Democrats.

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DAVID PASHAEE/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

In the aftermath of the large-scale anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles back in June, Lyons said not only have agents had to change their tactics, but their daily gear load has changed as well.

“What we saw in Los Angeles was unprecedented. ICE officers and special agents aren’t trained to handle civil disturbances. … What we saw in Los Angeles is the fact that a lot of the officers that were there waiting for those [Special Response Teams] to get there didn’t have the right, proper equipment” to handle riots, Lyons said.

All agents, whether a part of specialized teams or not, are now being equipped with helmets and gas masks, since the chances of needing such gear have grown dramatically. The age cap has likewise been removed. While older people may apply, ICE is making sure they are physically fit to handle the ongoing confrontations agents are dealing with across the country.

Part of the tour included a visit to the gym used by ICE trainees and a visit to the firing range. ICE was one of the first agencies at FLETC to have trainees qualify with a red dot sight on their handguns instead of using their iron sights. The Special Response Team further demonstrated how their teams breach a home while serving a search warrant or arrest warrant.

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