Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem raises alarming questions about a plan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to award monetary bonuses to private bounty hunters.
The proposal, first reported by The Intercept, aims to deploy privatized investigators to track down immigrants residing in the US. These bounty hunters would be tasked with conducting surveillance and pinpointing the home address of "aliens," who are defined as non-US citizens or nationals. They could earn bonus payments based on how many immigrants they help apprehend, and how quickly.
Krishnamoorthi expresses grave concerns over this plan, stating that it raises worrying questions about accountability. In a letter to Noem, he writes: "Allowing private contractors to perform enforcement activities under a system of performance-based financial incentives, essentially bounty hunting, outsources one of the government's most coercive powers to actors who operate with little oversight and limited public accountability."
Krishnamoorthi fears that entrusting these private contractors with powers of investigation and surveillance risks creating an enforcement apparatus that functions beyond the reach of ordinary checks and balances. He warns that this system built on quotas and cash rewards with minimal oversight will inevitably lead to mistakes, as the pressure to hit numbers replaces judgment, training, and accountability.
Furthermore, Krishnamoorthi is concerned about how the plan will further blur the line between federal authority and the private sector, adding more corporate profit motive to the government's chaotic domestic immigration operations. He notes that this system invites abuses, secrecy, and corruption, which the founders sought to prevent.
ICE has declined to comment on Krishnamoorthi's inquiry, stating that the Request for Information is solely for planning purposes and does not restrict the government to any acquisition approach. However, the proposal raises significant concerns about the erosion of accountability and the potential for abuse of power in the enforcement of immigration laws.
The proposal, first reported by The Intercept, aims to deploy privatized investigators to track down immigrants residing in the US. These bounty hunters would be tasked with conducting surveillance and pinpointing the home address of "aliens," who are defined as non-US citizens or nationals. They could earn bonus payments based on how many immigrants they help apprehend, and how quickly.
Krishnamoorthi expresses grave concerns over this plan, stating that it raises worrying questions about accountability. In a letter to Noem, he writes: "Allowing private contractors to perform enforcement activities under a system of performance-based financial incentives, essentially bounty hunting, outsources one of the government's most coercive powers to actors who operate with little oversight and limited public accountability."
Krishnamoorthi fears that entrusting these private contractors with powers of investigation and surveillance risks creating an enforcement apparatus that functions beyond the reach of ordinary checks and balances. He warns that this system built on quotas and cash rewards with minimal oversight will inevitably lead to mistakes, as the pressure to hit numbers replaces judgment, training, and accountability.
Furthermore, Krishnamoorthi is concerned about how the plan will further blur the line between federal authority and the private sector, adding more corporate profit motive to the government's chaotic domestic immigration operations. He notes that this system invites abuses, secrecy, and corruption, which the founders sought to prevent.
ICE has declined to comment on Krishnamoorthi's inquiry, stating that the Request for Information is solely for planning purposes and does not restrict the government to any acquisition approach. However, the proposal raises significant concerns about the erosion of accountability and the potential for abuse of power in the enforcement of immigration laws.
I'm freaking out over this ICE plan to reward bounty hunters with cash bonuses! 
According to The Intercept, 71% of Americans think that private contractors should not have a role in immigration enforcement 
. Meanwhile, the proposal has sparked concerns about accountability - and for good reason! 
In 2023, there were over 700 ICE arrests, but only 22 resulted in deportations ( source: Migration Policy Institute). That's like, what, 99% failure rate? 
. Here's a chart showing the growth in ICE budgets: [link] 
! Bounty hunters as immigration investigators? It's like they're tryin' to create a Wild West scenario right here in our country 
. What's next, private security firms monitorin' your every move for a fee? 
No thanks, I don't wanna see my neighbor, who just happens to be an undocumented immigrant, gettin' harassed by some private contractor lookin' for a payday 
. And Krishnamoorthi's on to it, man... we need someone lookin' out for us, not some corporate profiteers 
. and yeah, corporate profiteering off immigration enforcement is a no-go for me 
THIS PLAN IS SO CREEPY!!! 
They're basically saying let's hire some private security guards to chase down immigrants and pay them if they catch people... it's like a video game, not real life. And what really gets my goat is that these contractors won't have any oversight or accountability, so who's gonna make sure they don't start harassing innocent people? This is exactly the kind of thing that libertarians and lefties are always talking about - how unchecked power can lead to abuses. I mean, isn't this just a fancy way of saying we're outsourcing our own failures to make some money? 
This bounty hunter plan sounds super shady 
, and our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew this was happening 
. How are we supposed to trust these private companies with powers of investigation when there's hardly any oversight? It's all about the benjamins, not doing what's right 
The fact that it's all about making quotas and cash rewards is just crazy. It's like they're more worried about profits than people. This whole thing reeks of trouble...
This plan feels like a slippery slope where corporate interests take over and civil liberties get trampled. I need more info on how this is all gonna play out before I'm convinced it's not a total disaster waiting to happen 
.
. This could lead to a surge in deportations and a huge increase in ICE's budget 
, not less. This system is basically just handin' over our immigration enforcement to corporate America 
and I don't think that's a good thing at all 
.
It's been crazy! We need more accountability here, not less. This plan is just gonna lead to more problems down the line 
What's next?! Awarding bonuses to bounty hunters? It sounds like a recipe for disaster! 
And what about due process? We can't just let private contractors run around with warrants and cameras without any oversight. That's a clear case of the government giving up control and letting corporate profiteers get involved. 
And have you seen the conditions in some of these detention centers? This is just going to make things worse! 
... no, wait, what if it actually makes things better? 
.