Amnesty International has called for the abolition of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, citing extensive documentation of systemic human rights violations linked to its immigration enforcement operations. The report, released in early June 2026, details patterns of abuse observed in multiple cities, including Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C., raising concerns about racial profiling, arbitrary detention, and the use of excessive force.
According to Amnesty International’s findings, ICE agents engaged in operations that disproportionately targeted Black, Indigenous, and brown immigrant communities, as well as U.S. citizens of color and individuals with legal immigration status. The organization criticized officers for employing intimidation tactics and unjustified physical force during raids, which involved breaking down doors with firearms drawn, damaging vehicles, and forcibly detaining individuals. Protesters and bystanders in public settings were reportedly subjected to tear gas and pepper spray, sometimes affecting children and residents of surrounding neighborhoods. The agency also highlighted the use of surveillance technologies such as facial recognition, drones, and helicopters to monitor and intimidate people.
Inside detention facilities, Amnesty International documented conditions it described as overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsuitable for prolonged detention. Reports included minimal access to adequate food, healthcare, and legal counsel. The organization characterized these circumstances as amounting to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and, in some cases, potentially torture. Additional concerns were raised regarding the practice of incommunicado detention, with some detainees effectively disappearing from contact with family and legal representatives. Relatives recounted distressing experiences searching for loved ones taken by agents reportedly wearing masks during community raids.
The organization underscored that these abuses are not isolated incidents but form a consistent pattern evident during the Trump administration’s tenure and continuing into recent years. Amnesty International attributed this pattern to systemic flaws, including weakened oversight, eroded accountability, and a political environment that has escalated mass detention and deportation efforts, often described as deliberately cruel and racially biased.
Amy Fischer, director of refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International USA, stated that the persistence and systemic nature of these violations leave no alternative but to dismantle ICE entirely. She argued that incremental reforms such as defunding or retraining are insufficient given the agency’s entrenched practices and impunity.
Fischer emphasized that ICE was established after the September 11 attacks to frame immigration enforcement as a security issue, but its problematic legacy has worsened with increased funding since 2025. The call to abolish ICE represents a starting point for restructuring the U.S. immigration system around principles of international human rights, family unity, and compassion, moving away from enforcement tactics rooted in fear and punishment.
The report also highlighted grassroots community responses in the cities studied, where residents have established rapid-response networks offering legal, medical, and financial support to immigrants targeted by ICE operations. These efforts aim to mitigate harm and foster solidarity amid ongoing enforcement actions.
Amnesty International’s report concludes that the United States must build an immigration framework that prioritizes human dignity and accountability, beginning with ending ICE’s current mandate and practices.