ICE officer returned to duty before force review ended
NPR reports that ICE officer Victor Mojica, caught on video Sept. 25, 2025 shoving a woman to the ground at a New York City immigration court, was returned to full active duty within about 72 hours even though the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General had not yet completed its review of the incident. In a subsequent letter to Rep. Dan Goldman, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE referred the case for review and that on Nov. 25 the OIG decided not to open a criminal investigation, raising questions from former officials and critics about transparency and the adequacy of DHS oversight amid Trump‑era pressure to ramp up deportations.
📌 Key Facts
- On Sept. 25, 2025, ICE officer Victor Mojica was filmed at a New York immigration court forcefully pushing a detainee’s wife into a hallway and onto the ground, leading DHS to announce he was placed on administrative leave.
- Within roughly 72 hours, Mojica was quietly restored to 'full active duty' at ICE, despite the fact that DHS’s Office of Inspector General had not yet concluded its review of the incident.
- In a letter to Rep. Dan Goldman, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem disclosed that ICE referred the incident for review and that on Nov. 25 the OIG decided it would not open a criminal investigation, a decision not previously public.
- DHS publicly called Mojica’s conduct 'unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE' when announcing his leave, but provided no public explanation when he was reinstated.
- Former ICE chief of staff Jason Houser and other critics say the episode illustrates broader concerns about politicization of immigration enforcement and limited transparency around DHS discipline and oversight.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2015 and 2022, ICE officers killed at least 23 people and injured 24 others with gunfire, highlighting a pattern of deadly force usage.
ICE's Deadly Force Problem: A Culture of Impunity — Criminal Legal News
Over 244,000 Ecuadorians have requested asylum in the US since 2021, driven primarily by economic hardship and a surge in violence in Ecuador.
Why Have Hundreds of Thousands Fled Ecuador Since 2020? — AULA Blog
Black immigrants in ICE detention are less likely to be released on bond compared to other groups, indicating racial disparities in detention outcomes.
Snapshot of ICE Detention — National Immigrant Justice Center
From 2007 to 2012, following rapid expansion of Border Patrol, issues like misconduct and excessive force increased among agents.
Deplete the Police: How the federal immigration crackdown could deplete local law enforcement — Popular Info
Violence and poverty are the main drivers of migration from Ecuador, with a growing number of Ecuadorians leaving the country in 2023.
Crisis in Ecuador: What you need to know and how to help — International Rescue Committee