Ex-DHS official claims ICE recruits receive less training than 'animal control officers'

WASHINGTON, DC: Concerns have been growing about how well ICE agents are being trained, especially since President Donald Trump ramped up immigration enforcement.

That concern really grew after two recent shootings in Minneapolis involving federal agents.

Both happened within a week. In one case, federal agents shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old US citizen. In the other case, they injured a man from Venezuela, and DHS called him a criminal immigrant.

Amid this, a former Department of Homeland Security official has claimed that “animal control officers” get more training than Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruits.

Former official claims recruits getting far less training

Former DC Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence Donell Harvin accused ICE of not practicing proper police safety while talking to MS NOW’s Ana Cabrera.

“If you take the current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, at her word, the ICE agent that shot Ms Good was following his training, his tactics and policies,” the ex-DHS official said.

“If that's the case and you take her at her word, then we have a big problem, because what we have is ICE agents that are not practicing proper police or law enforcement officer safety and survivability,” Harvin continued.

The remarks followed a second Minneapolis incident in which a man identified by DHS as a criminal Venezuelan immigrant was injured during an encounter with federal agents, intensifying scrutiny of ICE operations.

Donell Harvin brings up concerns on training and its duration

“We have ICE agents that are rolling off the assembly line, so to speak, with far, far less training” than the agent involved in Good’s death, Harvin said, talking about the sheer number of agents being trained and recruited.

Harvin said news reporting found that ICE recruits receive “47 days of training.”

“I will tell you that in many states, you can become an animal control officer, but you need twice as much training,” Harvin said.

“So think about that. Your local dog catcher will need more training to carry a firearm and execute warrants and arrest people than an ICE agent. And that's what's concerning,” he continued.

DHS told The Independent that all ICE candidates undergo months of instruction, including training on de-escalation, use-of-force standards, and officer safety.

Standard training for recruits involved in enforcement and removal operations is eight weeks, according to DHS.

“ICE law enforcement officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to prioritize the safety of the public and our officers,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Independent.

DHS says ICE agents go through a lot of training, but after Harvin spoke out, especially with all the recent shootings, people are wondering if that’s really enough.