By Trendsetter Tribune 
WASHINGTON — In a damning congressional forum held on Monday, February 23, 2026, a former ICE legal instructor and whistleblower testified that the agency has “decimated” its training program for new recruits. Ryan Schwank, who resigned from the agency on February 13, accused leadership of lying to Congress about the depth of these cuts as the administration rushes to deploy thousands of new officers for its mass deportation operations.
The testimony, hosted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), suggests that the “surge” of 10,000 new agents is being sent into communities with only a fraction of the legal and tactical preparation previously required.
The “Defective” Academy: 72 Days to 42
Schwank, a former assistant chief counsel at ICE, provided internal documents showing a drastic reduction in the Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Georgia.
- The Timeline: Training has reportedly been slashed from 72 days to 42 days (approximately 8 weeks).
- The “47” Symbolism: Some reports suggest the 47-day target was specifically chosen as a tribute to Donald Trump being the 47th president.
- Firearms & Force: Schwank alleged that 16 hours of firearms training were eliminated, along with “Use of Force Simulation Training” and practical exams in “Judgment Pistol Shooting.”
- Constitutional Short-Circuit: A two-hour course on the rights of protesters was reportedly reduced to just 10 minutes, “shoehorned” into a lecture on the general concept of seizure.
Allegations of “Secretive” Constitutional Violations
The most explosive portion of Schwank’s testimony involved a “secret policy” regarding how agents enter private homes.
- The “Warrantless” Memo: Schwank claimed he was ordered to teach recruits that they could enter private residences using only administrative removal orders, rather than judicial warrants signed by a judge.
- The “Secret” Instruction: He testified that he was forced to read a memo on this policy in the presence of a supervisor, but was forbidden from taking notes or discussing the instruction publicly.
- The Threat: Schwank alleged his supervisor warned him that two previous instructors had been dismissed for questioning the legality of the memo.
“ICE is teaching cadets to violate the Constitution, and they were attempting to cloak it in secrecy by demanding I lie about it… What remains is a dangerous husk.” — Ryan Schwank, Feb 23, 2026
DHS Response: “Streamlining, Not Cutting”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has vehemently denied the whistleblower’s claims, characterizing them as “false smears” from “sanctuary politicians.”
| DHS Position | The Whistleblower Counter-Argument |
| “No Hours Cut” | DHS claims recruits work longer hours (12-hour days) to fit the same content into fewer days. |
| “Technology Upgrades” | DHS says “technology advancements” allow for more efficient training without sacrificing content. |
| “On-the-Job Training” | DHS maintains graduates receive 28 days of field supervision. |
The Context: A Surge in Fatalities
The whistleblower’s appearance follows a string of high-profile incidents involving federal immigration agents in early 2026.
- The Minneapolis Shooting: The January killing of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, during an ICE operation in Minnesota has become a rallying cry for critics of the agency’s “aggressive” new tactics.
- The Texas Death: Earlier this month, records revealed a Texas man was fatally shot by an HSI agent during a traffic stop in 2025, an incident that was allegedly “covered up” for nearly a year.
The Path Ahead
Senator Blumenthal has called on other “repulsed” employees to come forward, promising to use the Whistleblower Protection Act to shield them. Meanwhile, the testimony is expected to fuel a Democratic push to withhold DHS funding until the administration agrees to body-camera mandates and a prohibition on agents wearing masks during raids.