Warrants No Longer Required

A leaked internal ICE memo authorizes federal agents to ram down doors and force entry into homes using administrative warrants alone, a dramatic reversal of decades-old Fourth Amendment protections that has constitutional conservatives and civil libertarians alike sounding the alarm.

Story Snapshot

May 2025 memo signed by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons permits forced home entries using only administrative warrants for individuals with final removal orders
Policy reverses longstanding requirement for judicial warrants to enter residences, raising serious Fourth Amendment concerns about government overreach
Associated Press witnessed Minneapolis raid on January 11, 2026, where ICE officers rammed a door with rifles drawn using only administrative paperwork
Whistleblowers disclosed the memo’s limited distribution within ICE, calling it a “complete break from the law” that undermines constitutional protections for all Americans

Administrative Warrants Override Judicial Oversight

The May 12, 2025 memo signed by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons authorizes officers to use “necessary and reasonable force” to enter homes based solely on Form I-205 administrative warrants. These documents, issued internally by immigration officials rather than judges, historically permitted arrests but never authorized forced home entries. The policy cites a DHS General Counsel determination claiming constitutional authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act for residential arrests of individuals with final removal orders. Officers must knock, announce their purpose, and allow residents a “reasonable chance to act lawfully” before using force, with operations limited to 6 a.m. through 10 p.m.

Constitutional Protections Swept Aside

The Fourth Amendment protects all persons on American soil from unreasonable searches and seizures, traditionally requiring judicial warrants for home intrusions. Supreme Court precedents have long established the home’s sanctity, permitting warrantless entries only for genuine emergencies like rendering aid. ICE historically avoided these constitutional limits by conducting arrests in public or using deceptive tactics to gain consent without identifying as immigration agents. This memo explicitly authorizes what previous guidance prohibited, creating a troubling precedent for federal agencies to bypass judicial oversight when entering private residences. For Americans who value limited government and constitutional restraints on federal power, this represents dangerous executive overreach regardless of one’s stance on immigration enforcement.

Minneapolis Raid Exposes New Tactics

On January 11, 2026, Associated Press journalists witnessed the policy in action when ICE officers forcibly entered a Liberian man’s Minneapolis home. Tactical teams with rifles drawn rammed through the door armed only with an administrative warrant, not judicial approval. The memo’s existence remained largely hidden within ICE until January 2026, when whistleblowers working with Whistleblower Aid disclosed it through a formal complaint. The selective distribution to train new officers while contradicting official training materials suggests deliberate compartmentalization. ICE spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the practice as constitutional, citing probable cause and congressional authorization, but declined to specify how frequently agents have employed these forced entries since the policy’s implementation.

Broader Implications for Federal Power

The memo’s long-term impact extends beyond immigration enforcement to fundamental questions about federal authority limits. Advocacy groups like the Immigrant Defense Project and ACLU have for years advised residents not to open doors without judicial warrants, guidance rooted in constitutional protections that apply to citizens and non-citizens alike. This policy undermines that advice and sets a precedent for administrative warrants across federal agencies to substitute for judicial oversight. Legal challenges appear inevitable as the policy tests constitutional boundaries, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. While the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign drives efficient enforcement, conservatives who champion constitutional limits on government power should scrutinize whether administrative convenience justifies eroding Fourth Amendment protections that safeguard every American’s home from warrantless government intrusion.

Internal memo authorizes ICE to enter homes without judicial warrants in some cases. https://t.co/QQYzXHg2gm

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 21, 2026

The memo remains active but not agency-wide as of January 2026, with unclear application frequency beyond the witnessed Minneapolis operation. Whistleblower Aid characterizes it as a “hidden DHS policy” that encourages warrantless home invasions, while ICE maintains constitutionality without providing transparency on enforcement scope. The tension between effective border security and constitutional restraints on federal power demands careful scrutiny from conservatives who understand that government powers granted for one purpose inevitably expand beyond original intent, threatening liberties that protect all Americans regardless of the administration wielding them.