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ICE Bans High-Speed Chases And Tightens Rules For Vehicle Stops
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued internal guidance on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, banning agents from high-speed vehicle chases and tightening rules for traffic stops agencywide.[1] The memo requires that only officers who have completed one of five specified training courses may conduct vehicle stops; untrained officers may serve only as passengers in a support capacity.[1] It also mandates that all vehicles used for ICE traffic stops have operational lights and sirens, and that officers wear and activate body cameras during stops.[1] Special tactics such as vehicle "pinning" and the use of spike strips are now allowed only for officers who receive extra training under the new policy.[1] The memo was issued the same day court testimony in the September 20, 2026 Austin shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was held.[1] That testimony said officers did not follow several of the memo's requirements, including continuous body-camera use.[1] Since 2025, ICE agents have fired their weapons during more than a dozen ICE-initiated vehicle encounters, killing at least four people and wounding several others, and those incidents prompted internal debate over stop procedures.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, ICE issued internal guidance banning officers from engaging in high-speed vehicle chases when drivers fail to pull over.
- The memo requires that only officers who have completed one of five specific training courses may conduct vehicle stops; untrained officers may only participate as passengers in a support capacity.
- All vehicles used for ICE traffic stops must have operational lights and sirens, and all officers present must wear and activate body cameras under the new policy.
- Special tactics such as vehicle 'pinning' and the use of spike strips are permitted only for officers with extra training, according to the memo.
- ICE agents have fired their weapons during more than a dozen ICE-initiated vehicle encounters since 2025, killing at least four people and wounding several others, prompting internal debate over stop procedures.
- The memo was issued the same day court testimony in the September 20, 2026 Austin shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez showed involved officers were not following several of the new requirements, including continuous body-camera use.
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