The Trump administration’s aggressive expansion of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has triggered international backlash, legal challenges, and fears of democratic erosion, with critics warning the agency is becoming the president’s personal police force.
The latest controversy erupted after hundreds of South Korean workers were detained in a raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, prompting Seoul to launch a human rights investigation and warn that US investment now carries major risks.
Images of the detainees in shackles sparked outrage in South Korea and strained diplomatic ties with a key ally.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Trump has poured billions into immigration enforcement, making ICE the wealthiest US law enforcement agency.
The “big, beautiful” tax-and-spending bill passed in July set aside $165 billion for border security, including $75 billion in extra funding for ICE.
The agency has deported nearly 200,000 people in seven months, often targeting Latino communities, and now averages 45 deportation flights a day—some sending migrants to “third countries” such as Rwanda, South Sudan, and Eswatini under secretive agreements.
Civil rights groups and Democrats accuse Trump of weaponizing ICE, citing masked officers detaining people without identification, mass arrests at places like Home Depot and 7-Eleven, and National Guard deployments in cities including Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
Critics say these tactics echo authoritarian regimes, while federal judges have clashed with the administration over the legality of troop deployments.
The crackdown has also fueled economic fallout, with tourism revenue projected to fall by $30 billion this year as reports of visitors being detained at US borders spread internationally.
Meanwhile, lawsuits continue to mount against Trump’s efforts to undermine birthright citizenship and expand deportations under laws like the Alien Enemies Act.
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, rights groups warn that ICE could even be deployed to polling stations—raising fears that Latino voter turnout will be suppressed.
