The lack of body cameras on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has sparked concerns and uncertainty over fatal shootings. In January, the then-secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, pledged to rapidly deploy body cameras to officers nationwide after two US citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents.

Delayed Deployment

However, over five months later, the distribution of body-worn cameras is still ongoing, and the agents involved in recent fatal shootings in Houston and Maine did not have them. The Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that body cameras have been deployed to more than half of the field offices, with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days.

The delay in deploying body cameras has raised questions about the pace and status of the national effort. The lack of first-hand video from federal officers, combined with the Department of Homeland Security’s recent history of false statements, has deepened skepticism of the government’s narrative in these fatal shootings.

Call for Transparency

Sen. Angus King of Maine has expressed concerns about the lack of body cameras, stating that it is a fair question to ask why they are not being used, given the availability of funds. The use of body cameras has largely garnered bipartisan agreement, particularly amid aggressive confrontations between federal agents and members of the public over the last year.

The Department of Homeland Security has allocated $20 million for the procurement, deployment, and operations of body cameras for agents and officers. The fiscal year 2026 funding for DHS includes this allocation, which is expected to purchase over 5,000 body-worn cameras.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.