Donald Trump will reportedly scale back the ICE’s deportation operations following discussions with first lady Melania Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who is reportedly leading the changes to the president’s current immigration policies, which could carry political risks for Trump.
According to a March 19, 2026, report by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, after speaking with Melania and other close advisors, the president believes some of ICE’s policies may have been too extreme. The outlet reports that Trump’s goal now is to target “bad guys” rather than carry out operations that could cause widespread fear in America.
However, the White House denied the changes in a statement to the publication, claiming, “Nobody is changing the Administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. President Trump’s highest priority has always been the deportation of illegal alien criminals who endanger American communities.”
The report adds, following the reported meeting, Trump also discovered voters don’t like the term “mass deportation.”
Public outrage over ICE intensified following the fatal shootings of two American citizens, Alex Pretti and Renée Nicole Good, by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
WOW! What a remarkable tribute to the victims of Trump’s ICE.
Renée Good and Alex Pretti. pic.twitter.com/0Qerifznh5
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 28, 2026
Pretti, an ICU nurse, was killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, while attending a protest against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the city. While helping another protester who had been pushed to the ground by the officers, Pretti approached them and, in return, was pushed to the ground by officers and shot multiple times. Several reports suggest, he was carrying a handgun at protests with a valid permit.
Days before Pretti’s shooting, Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was fatally shot on January 7 by ICE officials. “Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate,” said Good’s mother, Donna Ganger, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
According to The Wall Street Journal, daily immigrant arrests have fallen to around 1,200 a day, from more than 1,500 a day.
Trump’s advisers also view former DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem‘s recent firing as a chance to shift direction on immigration policy, the outlet reported. ”I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” wrote Trump on Truth Social on Thursday, March 5.
He continued, ”The current secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be the Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland.'”
Kristi Noem Removed from DHS position, Noem becomes “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas POTUS “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of… pic.twitter.com/SPNzfX8EuU
— Ryan Sprouse (@RSprouseNews) March 5, 2026
During his confirmation hearing, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R., Okla.), the president’s pick to succeed Noem claimed that ICE agents should obtain a “judicial warrant to go into houses, into places of businesses, unless we’re pursuing someone that enters in that place,” pointing to a shift from the prior policy under Noem, when ICE reportedly permitted warrantless entry for indivuduals with deportation orders.
