DHS pulls plug on Kristi Noem's ICE agent training fiasco: report

The Department of Homeland Security is axing a program put in place under fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that accelerated the training of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in an effort to get them swiftly out on the street, rounding up undocumented immigrants.

According to a report from Politico’s Myah Ward, Jordain Carney, and Daniel Lippman, the highly criticized fast-tracking of new hires has been set aside under the new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and new protocols are being put in place to increase supervision of agents already deployed.

The move represents a significant reversal from Noem's aggressive push to rapidly deploy new ICE officers. Democrats and whistleblowers have documented that deportation officers hired under last year's GOP immigration law went through a streamlined training program of roughly six to eight weeks — down from the traditional 72-day basic training program that recruits previously received.

Though DHS initially denied that it had reduced training levels for deportation officers, bipartisan concerns about inadequate training standards have persisted on Capitol Hill. The agency is now moving to broadly revise and bolster its training protocols for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations — the branch responsible for arresting, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants, Politico is reporting.

"We're actually doing something good here," an administration official who was not authorized to speak told Politico. "ICE is actually taking this very seriously, and it's not just lip service."

Under the new system, ICE plans to station certified officers at field offices, where their primary job responsibility will be serving as a training point person for future hires — ensuring consistent standards across the country.

The shift stems from conversations between acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and border czar Tom Homan with lawmakers during recent funding negotiations. According to sources familiar with the talks, Homan has wanted to address the training deficiencies and the changes "seemed like an easy thing everyone could get behind," now that Noem and the unofficial chief of staff Corey Lewandowski are out of the way.

The training overhaul comes as part of a broader recalibration of the Trump administration's hard-line immigration enforcement approach, following widespread political blowback and declining public support for ICE operations.

Beyond training improvements, DHS has also softened its immigration messaging and made sweeping leadership changes at the agency in the wake of Noem's ouster. The intense policy disputes over immigration enforcement has contributed to a 76-day DHS shutdown that was finally resolved last week — though Democrats and the White House still failed to reach agreement on several contentious issues, including masking prohibitions and judicial warrant requirements for federal law enforcement entering private property.