The Department of Homeland Security has quietly moved to tone down its immigration enforcement tactics after recent polling revealed their heavy-handed raids failed to impress the public.
Sweeping immigration raids carried out under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s “commander-at-large” Gregory Bovino will now be more focused, according to a new report citing unnamed DHS officials. The shift comes after months of large-scale raids that were billed as targeting the “worst of the worst,” a claim that has unraveled as more and more reports have surfaced of ordinary U.S. citizens being scooped up by federal agents.
DHS sources said the changes mean agents will now have specific targets rather than simply joining sweeping raids in a given area, NewsNation reported.
The reported changes come a few days after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, 54—nicknamed “ICE Barbie” for her camera-ready immigration crackdowns— endured a rough ride at a hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee.
“We’re not going to be seeing them necessarily grabbing people off the streets,” NewsNation border correspondent Ali Bradley told The Hill.
Instead of large “sweep” operations, like the ones carried out at places including Home Depot, agents are expected to narrow in on specific targets—particularly undocumented immigrants already convicted of serious crimes, according to the report.
It comes less than a week after Noem walked out early from a bruising appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee, where she was questioned on whether her immigration arm was really going after the “worst of the worst,” as DHS insists is the case.
At the same time, public sentiment suggests the aggressive dragnet approach of Trump, Noem, and DHS on immigration is sinking fast.
NewsNation says DHS’s updated policy does not mean an end to enforcement activity, including in New Orleans, where “Catahoula Crunch” has produced more than 250 arrests in about a week and has a stated goal of 5,000.
Fox News also cited NewsNation reporting that traffic-stop enforcement will continue, but that onlookers are less likely to see agents rounding people up in the indiscriminate manner that has fueled viral confrontations and street protests.
The timing tracks with bleak numbers for Trump’s immigration project. An AP-NORC poll conducted Dec. 4–Dec. 8 found 38 percent approval for Trump on immigration, down from 49 percent approval in late March.
A separate PRRI survey released last week said approval of Trump’s handling of immigration among Americans in border states dropped from 42 percent in March to 33 percent. YouGov reported 53 percent of Americans disapprove of how ICE is handling its job.
Bovino’s roving Border Patrol “Green Machine” has developed a reputation for made-for-camera theatrics, which have ended in courtroom trouble.
In Chicago’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis said the accounts of Bovino, 55, and the government were not credible and—after reviewing bodycam footage—faulted agents for reckless, heavy-handed tactics, including gassings and aggressive takedowns that hit bystanders and journalists.
Plaintiffs and the judge accused DHS and Bovino of fabricating a story that he was struck by a rock before he fired tear gas at demonstrators, with DHS refusing to provide unedited drone footage while pushing curated clips online.
In late October, Evanston’s mayor accused agents of forcing a crash and “beating up” bystanders as DHS floated a salacious explanation for a punch-filled arrest video.
Bovino, a leading public mouthpiece for the immigration push, has led staged photo shoots with masked agents, including at Chicago’s “Bean,” which prompted artist Anish Kapoor to warn them off.
Noem’s toe-curling Dec. 11 House appearance on Capitol Hill saw her face a tense hearing that was repeatedly disrupted by protesters and dominated by Democratic criticism over raids, deportations, and the administration’s claims about targeting “violent offenders.”
She denied under oath that DHS had deported military veterans—telling Rep. Seth Magaziner, “Sir, we have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans”—before Magaziner confronted her with a veteran’s case live on a tablet.
Protesters also disrupted the hearing with angry chants as lawmakers pressed Noem over the administration’s raid tactics, leading her to walk out early.
A spokesperson for DHS told the Daily Beast, “We have always been going after the worst of the worst first. There are no operational changes to announce.”
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