A recent Associated Press investigation reveals that since 2020, at least two dozen current and former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and contractors have been charged with crimes, including physical and sexual abuse, corruption, and abuse of authority. This reporting comes amid a rapid expansion of ICE following a $75 billion federal funding boost to hire more agents and detain more people.

According to the AP, ICE recently doubled its workforce to approximately 22,000 employees within less than a year—a pace significantly faster than the Border Patrol’s growth during the mid‑2000s, which occurred over a seven-year period. Experts warn that such hyper‑accelerated expansion raises the risk of misconduct, especially as agents wield immense power over vulnerable populations. Former Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske likened the situation to past misconduct surges, including corruption and human trafficking-related abuse seen during Border Patrol expansion. He highlighted concerns that ICE agents are “particularly vulnerable to unnecessary use of force issues,” especially when operating amid protests. The number of detainees has surged nearly in parallel, reaching around 70,000, compounding oversight challenges.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the misconduct as not widespread and emphasized that most new recruits come from other law enforcement agencies and undergo thorough background checks. She assured that ICE “takes allegations of misconduct by its employees extremely seriously” and expressed pride in the day-to‑day professionalism of officers.

Still, civil libertarians warn the agency may be facing a “countrywide phenomenon” of abuse, as ICE’s reach expands beyond border states. David Bier of the Cato Institute pointed to a “remarkable array of offenses” uncovered, involving both veteran employees and relatively recent hires.

High-profile criminal cases cited by the AP include:

• In Cincinnati, Samuel Saxon—a 20-year ICE veteran and assistant field office supervisor—was arrested in December on charges of strangling his girlfriend, inflicting serious physical injuries.
• In Minnesota, an ICE employment eligibility auditor, Alexander Back, was arrested in a sting operation in November and pleaded not guilty to attempted enticement of a minor; he is currently on administrative leave pending investigation.
• Suburban Chicago police arrested ICE officer Guillermo Diaz‑Torres after he was found passed out behind the wheel of a crashed car shortly after leaving work, with his government firearm in the vehicle. He has pleaded not guilty and is under investigation.
• Scott Deiseroth, an ICE officer in Florida, was stopped for drunk driving while his two children rode in the car. He used his law enforcement and military credentials to try to escape charges and made xenophobic threats, remarks caught on body camera. He received probation and community service and remains under internal review.
• A contract facility official in Texas was sentenced to probation on February 4 after pleading guilty to grabbing a handcuffed detainee by the neck and slamming him into a wall. Prosecutors downgraded the charges from felony to misdemeanor.
• In Louisiana, an ICE contractor pleaded guilty in December to sexually abusing a detained Nicaraguan national over a five‑month period in 2025, using other detainees as lookouts.
• An off‑duty ICE agent outside Chicago has been charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly throwing to the ground a 68‑year‑old protester filming him; DHS maintains the agent acted in self‑defense.
• A deportation officer in Houston was indicted last summer for accepting cash bribes from bail bondsmen in exchange for removing ICE detainers. He has pleaded not guilty to seven counts and is awaiting trial.
• In New York City, a former ICE supervisor is awaiting trial on allegations he provided confidential immigration information to others in exchange for gifts and favors.
• Two Utah-based ICE investigators were sentenced last year for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in synthetic “bath salts” from government custody and selling them through informants.
• In Othello, Washington, ICE supervisor Koby Williams was arrested in 2022 during an undercover sting. He had driven a government vehicle stocked with cash, alcohol, pills, and other items, and falsely claimed—while holding his government-issued firearm and badge—that he was there on a federal anti-trafficking operation. Prosecutors condemned the abuse of authority, and he is currently serving prison time.

These cases frequently involved ICE credentials—or its badge—as tools for evasion or privilege. In some instances, charges were downgraded, and sentences were relatively light, prompting calls for stronger internal accountability.

Why this matters locally: Though none of these incidents occurred in Cowlitz County, the aggressive expansion of federal immigration enforcement raises concerns for southwest Washington communities. Local law enforcement and oversight bodies must remain alert to the potential for misconduct, particularly if ICE or contractors increase activity in the region. There are pragmatic and civic implications, including erosion of trust in collaboration between local agencies and federal partners.

Why this matters: ICE’s rapid growth to 22,000 employees—and doubling of detainee counts to approximately 70,000—paired with recurring misconduct by agents, suggest systemic weaknesses in culture, oversight, and hiring. Without reform, local communities may face diminished transparency, weakened accountability, and potential erosion of public trust in law enforcement partnerships. This is a moment for proactive oversight by local legislators, law enforcement authorities, and civic leaders.