ICE Officers Can Enter Homes Without Judge's Warrant, Memo Says
According to an ICE memo, federal immigration officers are claiming they have the power to force their way into homes without a judge's warrant. The memo, dated May 12, 2025, states that ICE agents can enter a person’s residence using an administrative warrant if a judge has issued a “final order of removal.” Administrative warrants allow officers to make arrests and differ from judicial warrants, which are signed by judges or magistrates and permit entry into homes. This memo marks a major shift away from longstanding guidance that has protected constitutional limits on government searches. In the document, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons notes that detaining individuals “in their residences” based solely on administrative warrants is different from previous procedures.
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This change reverses previous guidance and raises concerns about constitutional protections against illegal searches.
The Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics are sparking debate over federal agents' authority to enter private property.
