ICE agents claim authority to enter homes without judicial warrants
Jan 22, 2026

A confidential memorandum obtained by the Associated Press reveals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents claim authority to forcibly enter residences using only administrative orders, rather than judicial warrants required by the Fourth Amendment. The policy change, signed by interim ICE director Todd Lyons in May 2025, differs from longstanding legal guidance and Supreme Court rulings, and has been used to train new ICE agents deployed in the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign.
Sources
- Experts say new ICE policy on home entries violates Fourth Amendment
- Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge's warrant, memo says
Associated Press·Jan 21, 2026·archived copy
- Internal DHS memo says ICE agents can enter homes without a judicial warrant
NPR·Jan 25, 2026·archived copy
- Agentes del ICE en EE.UU. afirman tener poder para entrar a las casas sin mostrar una orden judicial, dice memorando confidencial
entremujeres.clarin.com·Jan 22, 2026·archived copy
- ppe.nbcnews.com
- news8000.com
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