A former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement instructor told members of Congress on Monday that the agency's accelerated hiring effort could result in new recruits entering the field with less preparation.
Ryan Schwank, an attorney who resigned from ICE earlier this month, testified at a hearing organized by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., according to CBS News.
"New cadets are graduating from the academy, despite widespread concerns among training staff that even in the final days of training, the cadets cannot demonstrate a solid grasp of the tactics or the law required to perform their jobs," Schwank said.
"Without reform, ICE will graduate thousands of new officers who do not know their constitutional duty, do not know the limits of their authority, and who do not have the training to recognize an unlawful order. That should scare everyone," he added.
Schwank was hired by ICE in 2021 and remained with the agency after President Donald Trump began his second term. He resigned on Feb. 13, according to congressional aides.
During the hearing, Schwank said ICE's Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program has been shortened and is now "deficient, defective, and broken." He alleged that the agency has reduced training time for new recruits.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, denied that any training requirements had been eliminated.
"DHS has streamlined training to cut redundancy and incorporate technology advancements, without sacrificing basic subject matter content," the department said in a statement.
"Under these new improvements," DHS said, "candidates still learn the same elements and meet the same high standards ICE has always required. No subject matter has been cut."
DHS said the curriculum still includes multiple classes dedicated to use-of-force policy and proper use of force.
At a recent congressional hearing, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said recruits with prior federal law enforcement experience are placed in a shorter program focused on immigration law and ICE-specific training.
According to documents referenced in the reporting, ICE expects about 4,000 recruits to graduate by the end of September and more than 3,000 new enforcement officers to complete training by June.
The administration has said it plans to hire 10,000 officers using funding provided under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
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