The Take 2025 in Review: Is ICE in the US operating as secret police?
Jan 2, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Hannah Allam, a national security reporter with ProPublica, delves into how ICE transformed into a masked force during Trump's presidency. She recounts disturbing incidents of violence and impersonation linked to unmarked agents, igniting public concern. Hannah contrasts legal justifications for ICE's secrecy with serious accountability issues and parallels to authoritarian regimes. She also highlights community pushback through organizing efforts, showing resilience in the face of aggressive enforcement.
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Masked Raids As A New Policing Frontier
- Masked, plainclothes ICE raids mark a new frontier in U.S. policing that reduces transparency and accountability.
- Experts warn this reverses long-term moves toward oversight and risks authoritarian-style enforcement.
Santa Ana 911 Tapes Capture Public Fear
- Santa Ana 911 tapes captured residents confused and frightened as masked agents bundled people into unmarked vans.
- Locals asked if they should flee and tried to report authorities who had no visible identification.
Masking Erodes Trust Despite DHS Defense
- The Department of Homeland Security defends masking as agent protection but scholars see it as eroding public trust.
- Masking enables anonymity that critics say creates an unaccountable national police force answerable to the president.