Ryan Schwank, a former instructor at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) training academy, says the agency is misrepresenting the state of its training program to both lawmakers and the public. Speaking to the digital outlet MS NOW after leaving his post on February 13, Schwank described a system that has been quietly hollowed out: fewer hours on firearms, the elimination of key practical evaluations, and cuts to modules on constitutional limits and civil rights.
According to him, these aren’t minor adjustments but structural changes that weaken the preparation of new agents. At risk, he argues, is not only the effectiveness of ICE operations but the ability of recruits to recognize unlawful orders and uphold the constitutional protections they are sworn to enforce.
Cuts to Training
Schwank described the system as “deficient, flawed, and broken.” Specifically, nearly 16 hours of lessons dedicated to the correct and safe use of firearms were eliminated. More than a dozen practical exams for agents engaged in removal operations were also removed, including tests on “judgment shooting” scenarios and simulations of encounters with armed suspects.
Furthermore, documents provided to a Senate office indicate the cancellation of force‑use simulation programs and legal modules distinguishing criminal proceedings from deportation procedures. A seminar on protesters’ rights, previously two hours long, was compressed to ten minutes. According to Schwank’s testimony, these...
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