Amnesty International Calls for Abolition of ICE Over Human Rights Abuses

Amnesty International released a 168-page report on September 24, 2026, calling for the immediate abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This marks the first time the organization has demanded the disbanding of a government agency, arguing that systemic issues including fatal shootings and the violent repression of peaceful protests cannot be rectified through piecemeal reform.

The report documents widespread human rights violations during militarized immigration operations in Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, DC, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Alleged abuses include racial profiling, torture-like detention conditions, and the unlawful killings of Silverio Villegas González, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti. Additionally, the organization is campaigning to block a proposed family detention center in Alexandria, Louisiana, alleging the site is located on toxic waste.

The White House dismissed the findings as "smears" intended to vilify officers, and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson defended the agency by citing the criminal records of detainees in Chicago. These developments occur as Congress considers a reconciliation package that would provide $70 billion in funding for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).