Whistleblower Ryan Schwank Exposes New ICE Policy Authorising Agents to Enter Homes Without Warrants

A courageous insider has come forward to reveal a significant shift in how federal agents operate within local communities. Ryan Schwank is pulling back the curtain on new protocols that could fundamentally alter residents' privacy rights nationwide. His disclosures raise urgent questions about the legal boundaries of enforcement and the future of civil liberties.

A whistleblower and former attorney for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has come forward for the first time. He warns that the department is clearing thousands of new staff after vastly reduced instruction, reportedly telling them they may enter homes without a warrant or the owner's consent—a practice that contradicts the US Constitution.

Training Cuts Linked to Rapid Growth

To hit the Trump Administration's firm deportation targets, ICE increased its force from 10,000 to over 22,000 officers, a move Schwank told a public forum led by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Robert Garcia resulted in reckless and severe cuts to recruit instruction.

In a written address, Schwank asserted, 'ICE is lying to Congress and the American people about the steps it is taking to ensure its 12,000 new officers faithfully uphold the Constitution and perform their jobs.' He further warned that inadequate preparation poses a lethal risk, stating, 'Deficient training can and will get people killed.'

'It can and will lead to unlawful arrests, violations of constitutional rights, and a fundamental loss of public trust in law enforcement.'

Training Directives to Ignore Constitutional Law

During his initial day at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre in Georgia, Schwank, a seasoned immigration solicitor, recalled being given 'secretive orders to teach new cadets to violate the Constitution by entering homes without a judicial warrant. I was instructed to read and return a memo in my supervisor's presence, which claimed ICE officers could enter homes without a judicial warrant.'

He explained that he had to review and immediately hand back a memo while his manager watched, which asserted that ICE staff could bypass the requirement for a judge's signature to enter private property. This specific memo, dated 12 May 2025, lacked the standard labels and formatting typically found in official internal rules.

According to Schwank, the Acting ICE Director gave the go-ahead for the exact behaviour that 2025 DHS training documents described as 'the chief evil against which the wording of the Fourth Amendment is directed.' He pointed out that this referred specifically to 'physical entry of the home' without a proper warrant or permission.

Evidence of Unlawful Entry Mandates

In January 2026, Schwank joined another anonymous WhistleblowerAid.org client to provide the US Senate with proof that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has endorsed and instructed ICE agents to break into residences without a judge's warrant or permission. These insiders maintain that such actions constitute a blatant Fourth Amendment violation.

David Kligerman, Senior Vice President and Special Counsel at WhistleblowerAid.org, stated that 'No court has ever found that any law enforcement has this type of authority to enter homes without a judicial warrant under such circumstances.'

He pointed out that following these revelations, six former DHS General Counsels penned an op-ed for The New York Times demanding an end to entries made without a judge's permission.

Reflecting on the experience, Schwank remarked, 'Never in my career had I ever received such a blatantly unlawful order—nor one conveyed in such a troubling manner. I was being shown this memo in secret by a supervisor who made sure that I understood that disobedience could cost me my job. ICE is teaching cadets to violate the Constitution, and they were attempting to cloak it in secrecy.'

Rapid Recruitment Drives

Since 2025, a heavy recruitment push to meet President Trump's pledge for a crackdown on undocumented immigrants has resulted in ICE cadets receiving significantly shortened instruction. Schwank explained that this rushed approach produces staff who are ill-equipped and unfamiliar with US law, particularly regarding the legal standards for carrying out searches, taking suspects into custody, or employing lethal force.

Schwank directly challenged official claims, asserting that the public is being misled regarding the adequacy of new recruit preparation. DHS 'has told the public that new cadets are receiving all the critical classes they need to perform their duties, that no critical material or standards have been cut. This is a lie,' he said.

He argued that the agency drastically reduced the curriculum, stripping away so many vital components that the current course is merely a 'dangerous husk'. Highlighting the severity of the cuts, he remarked, 'No reasonable person would believe a training program suddenly cut nearly in half could meet the minimum legal requirements.'

Schwank joined the ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor in 2021 as an Assistant Chief Counsel, acting on behalf of the agency during Executive Office of Immigration Review hearings. His career also included a stint as the resident legal consultant for the South Texas Family Residential Centre in Dilley, Texas. Eventually, he transitioned into a teaching role at the ICE Academy in Glynco, Georgia, to train the influx of new staff.