Terror militia : Ice, Trump’s cash machine

Contrary to popular belief, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not a personal militia, but a federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), created in 2003 under the Bush administration to merge immigration and customs functions after 9/11.

However, the term « militia » has resurfaced forcefully in public debate due to the unprecedented aggressiveness of its interventions during Donald Trump’s second term, particularly through Operation « Metro Surge, » launched in December 2025, which deployed thousands of agents in Minnesota.

In Minneapolis, the agency is now deeply criticized and faces an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy after two American citizens, Renée Good and nurse Alex Pretti, were shot dead by federal agents in January 2026, sparking riots and international condemnation.

Local critics, led by Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, denounce a « mercenary mentality » fostered by a drastic reduction in recruit training—from 22 weeks to just 47 days (a symbolic nod to the 47th president)—as well as the systematic use of masked agents and shock tactics such as smashing car windows and using stun grenades in urban areas.

While the administration defends a « zero tolerance » policy against crime, the city of Minneapolis remains the scene of a major constitutional tug-of-war between local authorities and the federal government over citizen safety and respect for fundamental rights.

More Funding Than the FBI’s

ICE’s funding comes from a complex arrangement that changed radically in 2025. It is no longer simply a standard administrative budget, but a force massively boosted by an exceptional law.

As an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE receives annual funding approved by the U.S. Congress. This « base budget » traditionally amounts to approximately $10 to $11 billion per year. This funding covers regular salaries, administration, and federal criminal investigations (HSI).

The « One Big Beautiful Bill Act » (OBBBA) of 2025 is the primary source of the current acceleration. Passed on July 4, 2025, this budget reconciliation law allocated a colossal additional $170 billion over four years for border security.

Of this amount, ICE received $75 billion (approximately $18.7 billion annually in addition to its base budget).

With this supplement, ICE’s total budget for 2026 approaches $29 billion, making it the best-funded law enforcement agency in the United States, even surpassing the total budget of the Department of Justice (including the FBI).