John Oliver has scrutinised US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics on his show Last Week Tonight, highlighting a brutal crackdown on undocumented migrants under the Trump administration. The host noted that despite promises to deport one million people a year, the administration has only deported around 280,000 so far, making the target seem unattainable.
Oliver explained that the administration is 'trying to drive up arrests at all costs' by widening the definition of who qualifies as a criminal. He compared this to promising to apprehend 10,000 Fred Dursts a day, noting that such numbers are impossible without expanding the criteria. ICE agents have been instructed to target places like Home Depot and 7-Eleven, and the agency has deputised record numbers of local police, border patrol, national guard, and even postal workers.
This reallocation of resources has meant that other crimes are less policed, with the FBI prioritising immigration enforcement over white-collar crime and sexual abuse investigations. Oliver criticised the administration for making the government 'friendlier' to sex offenders while cracking down on migrants.
Despite claims by 'border czar' Tom Homan that 70% of those arrested are criminals, ICE's own data shows only 40% have any criminal history, and just 7% were convicted of violent crime. The largest group of arrests are those with only civil or immigration violations. Oliver highlighted that ICE is now targeting people attending immigration court, using a loophole to deport them without due process if their case is dismissed.
Oliver also addressed the legality of ICE agents wearing masks, noting that while it appears dystopian, no federal law prevents it. He concluded that the administration's actions often feel like law-breaking but are technically legal.
