A video circulating widely on X appears to show a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent confronting onlookers during an operation and then boasting about his income.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reposted the clip, fueling renewed criticism and debate online.
In the video, the agent says: “I love my job. I can’t believe I get paid for this. I’d do this for free.”
Why It Matters
Public scrutiny of ICE has intensified after President Donald Trump increased enforcement efforts aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants and disrupting drug trafficking into the United States.
The video’s spread comes days after a deadly incident in Minneapolis. During an ICE operation on January 7, a U.S. citizen, Renee Good, was shot and killed by ICE after agents ordered her to exit her vehicle. Authorities say she drove off instead.
What To Know
The clip begins with the agent warning people filming him that he will arrest them if they interfere.
“We’re just observing. Please calm down,” a protester behind the camera says.
“You can observe all you want,” the agent replies. The person filming then responds with remarks criticizing the agent, including: “You had anger issues as a kid, didn’t you? Were your parents present? You should be ashamed of yourself, man.”
The agent answers: “I love my job, thank you. I can’t believe I get paid for this. I’d do this for free.”
A woman behind the camera then asks how much he is paid and mentions that she is a physician’s assistant. The agent responds by asking how long she spent in school, then says, “I went to high school, and I make $200,000.”
According to USA Jobs, the federal hiring website, postings last year for deportation officers listed salaries ranging from $49,739 to $89,528 annually. ICE has said compensation can increase with overtime and location-based additions.
Online Reaction
The video drew sharply divided responses.
One X user wrote that many people would “do this for free,” while another commenter mocked the woman’s reaction to the agent’s claim about his income.
Others condemned the exchange and criticized ICE’s operations, with posts arguing the pay claim was implausible or inappropriate given the work involved.
Statements After Renee Good’s Death
Good’s killing has intensified criticism of ICE activity in multiple cities, prompting calls for accountability and changes to enforcement practices.
Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, said in a statement that Good “should be alive today,” adding that her death has sparked “grief and outrage” and calling for “justice” and action from elected leaders.
DaMareo Cooper, executive director of Popular Democracy, said in a statement that ICE’s actions have caused “enormous harm,” and called for accountability over Good’s death and “countless lives lost.”
Deirdre Schifeling, the ACLU’s chief political and advocacy officer, said in a statement that recent shootings in Minneapolis and Portland “must be the end,” urging public action ranging from protests to pressuring Congress over funding.
Vice President JD Vance said at a White House press conference last week: “You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action. That’s a federal issue. That guy is protected by absolute immunity. He was doing his job.”
What Happens Next
Calls for an investigation into Good’s death continue, alongside renewed demands for limits on ICE operations. Immigration enforcement activity is ongoing in Minneapolis and other major U.S. cities.
