Aug 8 (Reuters) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will complete its rollout of body cameras to officers and agents by the end of the month, Acting Director David Venturella said on Saturday.
• ICE will equip every officer and agent in the field with body-worn cameras by the end of August, ahead of the agency’s original schedule, Venturella said in a statement.
• Agency policy permits expedited footage release when appropriate after a serious injury or death of someone in custody, he said. But the agency can withhold footage if it could compromise investigations or privacy, Venturella said.
• After the killings of two U.S. citizens during an immigration crackdown in Minnesota, then-U.S. Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem said ICE’s body camera program would be rolled out nationwide “as funding is available.”
• Fatal shootings last month at traffic stops in Maine and Texas sparked protests and raised questions over ICE agents’ lack of body cameras.
• Trump administration border czar Tom Homan subsequently said ICE officers will be required to record vehicle stops with at least one body camera.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sergio Non and Rod Nickel)
