ICE implements new directive allowing entry into homes without a judicial warrant
Agents would now use administrative warrants to enter homes if an immigration judge has issued a final order of removal.
ICE agent
Federal immigration officials are enforcing a new internal directive that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to enter private homes without a warrant signed by a judge, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.
The memo comes amid a backdrop of accelerated expansion of immigration operations nationwide as the Trump administration significantly increases arrests and deploys thousands of agents as part of its deportation campaign.
What the memorandum states
The memo, signed by ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and dated May 12, 2025, authorizes agents to use I-205 administrative warrants to enter homes if a final order of removal has been issued by immigration, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or a federal judge.
Before entering, agents must identify themselves, explain the reason for their presence and act within limited hours, between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm. If the person does not cooperate, the document allows the use of a "necessary and reasonable" amount of force to enter.
Official DHS response
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