Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were instructed to halt traffic stops, only to have the directive reversed shortly after. The initial decision to suspend vehicle stops was made in response to criticism from local officials and members of Congress following two fatal shootings by ICE agents.

Background

The Trump administration has been under pressure to curb shootings and address concerns over immigration enforcement. ICE agents have been involved in 10 incidents involving firearm discharges this year, resulting in the deaths of two US citizens in January and two illegal immigrants in recent weeks.

The use of traffic stops as a tool for immigration enforcement has been a point of contention. Former ICE acting director John Sandweg stated that traffic stops are one of the most dangerous tasks law enforcement can undertake, and that the lack of training for ICE agents has exacerbated the danger.

Training and Policy

ICE has announced plans to provide additional training for agents, including crowd control, high-risk vehicle stops, and medical training. The agency has also extended its training program to 71 days, which will apply to all new training classes beginning July 1.

The Department of Homeland Security’s use of force policy allows law enforcement officers to use deadly force only when there is a reasonable belief that the subject poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.