Secret Emails Show ICE Knew of Rising Force Incidents Months Before Minnesota Shootings

Documents obtained through Freedom of Information lawsuit reveals that top officials of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement were aware of the rising use of force against civilians post Trump took office. This rise was noticed months before two US citizens were shot at Minneapolis, which shook the nation.

Documents released on 17th February, have grabbed attention and have raised questions about the troubling training practices. According to a report by Politico, the top officials of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement also known as ICE were aware about the dramatic rise in force since as early as March 2025. Which was just a few weeks after President Donald Trump took office for the second time.

One of the emails revealed that Caleb Vitello, the former head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, received an email in March 2025. The contents of the email have revealed that ICE agents and enforcement personnel, reported 67 use of force incidents. This happened in just the first two months of Trump taking office.

These numbers are in sharp contrast with the numbers of 2024, which happens to be 17 during the same period of time. Another email communication has revealed that the use of force incident has quadrupled in just the first two weeks of March, as compared to 2024.

These documents point out that the escalation had actually begun months before the Minneapolis incident. Where federal officers shot two US citizens, which sparked outrage across the nation. Raising the questions about use of force by federal agents during an operation.

There is nearly a 400% rise in use of force incidents, with people hospitalized and bystanders swept up in operations, said the Executive Director of American Oversight, Chima Chukwu. “These records demonstrate a sharp disconnect between constitutional standards on which ICE claims to train its officers and the abusive deadly practices we see,” Chukwu added.

The records show that internally the ICE officers have highlighted the increase in use of force, yet their public statement has downplayed the issue. Top leaders and senior officials of the ICE, maintained that officers were applying force within bounds. The leaders from the Department of Homeland Security also made similar statements. Where they have said that their officers were adhering to training standards and exercise.

The released emails along with the incident reports suggest that cases involving the use of force by ICE and Border Petro officers are not only amplified on social media. These are not only confined to densely populated sectors or high profile cities. In fact, emails and documents of incidents from across the country show, ICE and Border Protection officers have used physical force, teasers, etc. whilst attempting to detain individuals.

In one such incident the agent had smashed a car window to reach the detainee, who was a woman. In another incident a person had to be given immediate medical attention after being stunned with a teaser. As he showcased serious symptoms such as vomiting after being stunned. At least one person has died during an encounter with the ICE officer, according to the reports.

Despite a serious indication towards the sharp increase in use of force there was no action taken by the ICE leadership. In fact, it was noted that the ICE and DHS officers publicly preferred highlighting another trend. They constantly pointed out that attacks on law enforcement officers rose all time high. A specific email emphasized that in March, assaults against the officers increased fourfold. The email indicated that ICE leadership was eager to prosecute such cases.

As the released records are being reviewed and congressional oversight continues, there is a recurring tension in federal law enforcements.