Acting ICE Director David J. Venturella issues statement on mischaracterization of ICE's body-worn camera policy

Acting ICE Director David J. Venturella:

"It's disappointing, though not surprising, to see yet another misleading and sensationalized Associated Press report about ICE operations and policy. The AP fundamentally mischaracterized ICE's body-worn camera policy by conflating the expedited release of footage following a serious bodily injury or death in custody with ICE's broader authority to release body-worn camera footage. Those are distinct issues, and here is the truth: ICE policy permits expedited release when appropriate — and clarifies that it's not appropriate to release footage when doing so could compromise investigations or privacy. This approach mirrors other federal law enforcement agencies' policies and is fully consistent with the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act. At the same time, we're committed to transparency and accountability, and we're on track to equip every officer and agent in the field with body-worn cameras by the end of August, ahead of our original timeline."