Immigration Policy reporter Rebecca Santana uncovered a significant shift in enforcement practices by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that has profound implications for civil liberties.
Santana’s reporting began in Minneapolis, where federal immigration officers were observed raiding a man’s home without presenting a judge‑issued warrant. What initially appeared to be an isolated incident soon led to a deeper discovery: a secret ICE internal memo that outlined a broader policy change.
The memo instructed officers that they could forcibly enter a person’s residence and carry out arrests using only an administrative warrant — a document signed by another immigration officer rather than an independent judge. This represented a departure from traditional warrant requirements and raised fundamental questions about privacy rights and due process.
Santana corroborated the policy’s significance through interviews with two whistleblowers, who explained how the directive was being incorporated into training for new ICE recruits. Their accounts confirmed that the policy was not theoretical but actively shaping enforcement behavior.
The resulting reporting exposed the extent of the shift and brought to light practices that had gone unreported — holding federal authorities accountable through careful sourcing, persistence and fearless journalism.
Related articles
