How to Identify ICE Agents — Vehicles, Uniforms, and Tactics in 2026

Knowing how to identify ICE agents can help you stay safe and alert your community. This guide covers the vehicles, uniforms, and tactics commonly used by ICE in 2026.

ICE Vehicles

ICE agents use a variety of vehicles, many of which are unmarked. Common vehicles include:

• Dark-colored SUVs — Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Explorer, and Ford Expedition are the most common. Often black, dark blue, or white.
• Unmarked vans — White or dark cargo vans, sometimes with tinted windows.
• Sedans — Unmarked Dodge Chargers or Ford Tauruses, similar to those used by other law enforcement.

Look for these signs that a vehicle may be ICE:

• "M" license plates or US government plates (starting with "G")
• No license plates at all
• Dark tinted windows all around
• Multiple antennas on the roof
• Push bars (bull bars) on the front bumper
• Vehicles parked for extended periods near courthouses, public transit stations, or residential areas with large immigrant populations

ICE Uniforms and Identification

ICE agents may wear various types of clothing:

• Tactical gear — Body armor or vests marked "POLICE" in large letters on the front, with "ICE" or "ERO" (Enforcement and Removal Operations) in smaller text on the back or shoulders.
• Plain clothes — Street clothes with a badge on a belt clip or lanyard. This is common for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents.
• DHS badges — All ICE agents carry Department of Homeland Security credentials. You can ask to see their badge and ID through a window or peephole.

Important: ICE agents sometimes identify themselves only as "police" to get people to open doors. If someone says "police," ask specifically which agency they are from before opening your door.

Common ICE Tactics

Be aware of these enforcement tactics:

• Early morning raids — ICE often conducts operations between 5 AM and 7 AM, when people are likely to be home.
• Courthouse arrests — Agents may wait outside courthouses to detain people attending hearings for unrelated matters.
• Workplace raids — Large-scale operations at workplaces, often following an investigation.
• Traffic stops — In some areas, ICE sets up checkpoints or works with local police during traffic stops.
• Collateral arrests — While looking for a specific person, agents may detain anyone else present who they believe is undocumented.
• Ruses — Agents may claim to be local police, delivery drivers, or other non-ICE personnel to get people to open doors.

What to Do If You Spot ICE Activity

1. Stay calm — Do not run, as this can attract attention.
2. Observe from a safe distance — Note the number of agents, vehicles, and the location.
3. Alert your community — Check SpotICE for existing reports and share what you see with trusted community members.
4. Document — If safe to do so, photograph or video record the activity from a distance. You have the right to record law enforcement in public spaces.
5. Do not interfere — Physically interfering with ICE operations can result in criminal charges.

Track ICE Activity in Real Time

SpotICE aggregates community reports of ICE activity into a real-time map covering Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Suffolk County, and communities across the country. Whether you need to check ICE raids today in your city or monitor ongoing enforcement activity near your neighborhood, SpotICE provides up-to-the-minute community-sourced data. Check it daily to stay informed.