Overview
- U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Bryan ruled that agents breached the Constitution by entering a residence without consent or a judge-signed warrant.
- The ruling arose from the January 11 arrest of Garrison Gibson, whose door was broken with a battering ram after he refused entry and who was later re-detained at a routine ICE check-in, his attorney said.
- A leaked memo signed by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons says agents may use an administrative removal warrant tied to a final order to force entry if refused access.
- Whistleblowers report new recruits were verbally instructed to follow that approach despite written training materials stating such warrants do not authorize Fourth Amendment searches.
- DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin and Vice President J.D. Vance publicly defended administrative warrants as appropriate for enforcement, while advocates expand “Know Your Rights” education and the scope of the practice remains unclear.