Key facts
- US immigration agencies will not automatically activate body cameras when officers draw weapons or use sirens.
- The Department of Homeland Security cited privacy and operational risks for rejecting the GAO recommendation.
- ICE has acquired devices to equip all officers and agents with body cameras, with training ongoing.
The Trump administration has rejected a recommendation from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that US immigration officials should automatically activate body-worn cameras when an officer pulls their weapon or sets off a car siren. The GAO's report, released on Wednesday, also noted that ICE and CBP have not updated their body-worn camera program plans since 2022 and 2024, respectively. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, stated in comments cited in the report that it disagreed with the recommendation due to privacy and operational risks. The DHS argued that automatic activation could lead to inadvertent recordings of sensitive interactions with informants or victims, or of bystanders exercising free speech. A DHS spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that ICE has acquired devices to equip all officers and agents with body cameras, with ongoing training expected to be completed soon.