WASHINGTON — New whistleblower documents reveal the Trump administration significantly curtailed training requirements for new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, eliminating practical exams and reducing overall training time, a move contradicted by recent congressional testimony. The documents, released by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on February 23, 2026, were provided by two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) whistleblowers who requested anonymity.
The released materials detail cuts to training for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers, including the reduction of more than a dozen practical examinations, the elimination of entire classes from the curriculum, and a substantial decrease in training hours. These findings appear to contradict sworn testimony given earlier this month by Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, according to a 90-page memorandum from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), of which Blumenthal is the Ranking Member.
Lyons testified that while the number of training days had been reduced from 75 to 42, the agency had compensated by increasing the length of each day from eight to twelve hours. However, the PSI memo states that “the schedules reflected on these documents indicate that current ICE recruits receive nearly 250 fewer hours of training than previous cohorts of recruits.”
Ryan Schwank, an attorney and former ICE Academy instructor who resigned on February 13, 2026, publicly identified by Blumenthal’s office, testified Monday about the dismantling of the training program. He described the current state of training as a “dangerous husk.” Schwank also revealed he was shown a secret memo on his first day as an instructor authorizing forceful entry into homes without a warrant and instructed not to discuss its existence. “Never in my career had I ever received such a blatant unlawful order,” he stated.
Schwank’s testimony corroborated concerns raised by Teyana Gibson Brown, whose husband, Garrison Gibson, was arrested in Minneapolis last month when ICE agents entered their home with weapons drawn. Brown recounted that she and her husband repeatedly asked to see a warrant, but their requests were ignored. “I heard the door pop and I realized we were no longer protected,” she said. “Ten officers that were all armed were standing in front of me and my family.”
The documents show that the number of practical exams required for graduation has been drastically reduced. In July 2021, cadets needed to pass 25 practical exams; now, only nine are required. Eliminated exams included assessments of “Judgment pistol shooting,” “Criminal encounters,” and “Determine removability.” The memo notes that these exams are now primarily evaluated through open-book, multiple-choice tests, lacking practical assessment.
According to the released documents, ICE has already graduated 803 new ERO officers in 2026 as of January 29, and projects an additional 3,204 graduates by the end of the fiscal year. The agency plans to train a total of 12,000 new hires this year, with Homeland Security stating that the majority are experienced law enforcement officers who have already completed police academy training.
Despite the concerns raised, Homeland Security maintains that no training requirements have been removed. Deputy Assistant Public Affairs Secretary Lauren Bis stated that recruits receive “extensive firearm training, are taught de-escalation tactics, and receive 4th and 5th Amendment comprehensive instruction,” and that training is supplemented with on-the-job training.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) questioned Schwank about the background of the new hires, asking if they were primarily experienced law enforcement officers. Schwank responded that many cadets he encountered were young, lacked prior law enforcement experience, and in some cases, had limited English proficiency. “I’ve had cadets who are 18 years old,” he said. “I had a cadet who celebrated her 19th birthday in her classes.”
Representative Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), the Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, expressed alarm at the prospect of ICE agents operating without judicial oversight. “The notion that ICE wants to write its own permission slip, without a judge, to break down your door and to violate your rights should terrify all Americans,” he said.
Blumenthal’s office has not confirmed whether Schwank or the other anonymous whistleblower provided the documents released Monday. The agency has not responded to requests for comment regarding the specific allegations made by Schwank and the documents released by Blumenthal’s office. Blumenthal Releases Whistleblower Documents Showing Drastic Cuts to ICE Training & Testing for New Recruits
