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Comment by mlmonkey | Hacker News Reader

It's a question of incentives. From what I've heard: ICE agents are incentivized to the tune of $5000 for every immigrant deported. So they go after the low-hanging fruits: the immigrants coming in for their periodic immigration court hearings, the Home Depot parking lots, etc.

This is why you hear about old grannies being arrested and deported and random immigrant workers with no criminal history being nabbed.

Basically, ICE is a group of bounty hunters and they have no qualms about breaking the law if it leads to a nice payday.

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Interesting ; Do you have any official or investigative links regarding incentives per deportation?

I understand their recruitment incentives are out of this world, but have not found reliable source for per-deportation incentives, and want to make sure I argue with 100% factually supported data.

I do not, unfortunately. It's just something I heard; though it would explain why ICE is going after law-abiding immigrants instead of criminals as originally intended.

That would certainly explain the lack of publicized confrontation. If they were mostly deporting actual criminals / gang members, one would expect more stories akin to the events today.

Actual criminals may have guns and know how to use them. That's bad risk / reward ratio. They should know, many of ICE are (pardoned) criminals!

What's the source on ICE being mostly pardoned criminals? I was under the impression this administration was against criminal gangs.

Nowhere did I say ICE is mostly pardoned criminals. I was under the impression the administration was against criminal gangs the President isn't currently friendly with, such as newly whitewashed and perfumed ISIS leaders, former South American pardoned drug dealing ex-presidents, and such.

Got it, thanks for the clarification. I'm surprised the President of the US is friendly with criminal gangs to be honest - this forum has always said that the US espouses justice with a stern, firm hand.

That Presidential hand is pretty bruised lately.

I'm afraid this will come across as bad faith but it's not: ICE is indistinguishable from a criminal gang to the people they encounter.

It sounds like you’re unfamiliar with January 6th. Many of the people active in J6th were prosecuted. Most were pardoned by Trump. I understand the GP is saying these same people have joined ICE. I’ve seen a picture of one ICE officer(?) with an SS tattoo below their ear. That should bar employment in the law enforcement but there he is.

He is not enforcing laws, just following orders. So it tracks.

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