ICE Deletes Post About Stopping 'Illegal Ideas' From Crossing Border

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quickly deleted a social media post Thursday that claimed that its mission is not just to keep out illegal immigrants, money, and products, but "ideas" as well.

Appearing as the latest tough-on-immigration social media post from the Trump administration, the graphic stated: "If it crosses the U.S. border illegally, it's our job to stop it".

The post sparked confusion on X, formerly Twitter, with several immigration and law experts asking what counted as an "illegal idea", as it was reshared widely over the space of a few hours.

The Department of Homeland Security told Newsweek the post was made in error.

"That post was sent without proper approval and should not have been shared," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs, said in a statement. "'Ideas' should have said 'intellectual property'."

Why It Matters

The post comes as the federal government cracks down on immigrants who have expressed views not in line with its foreign policy, such as students and green card holders who expressed pro-Palestinian views on college campuses over the past 18 months, which immigration advocates argue infringes First Amendment free speech rights.

What To Know

The post, shared on X and Instagram Thursday, was touting the agency's powers to enforce "400+ federal laws to ensure public safety and national security".

While ICE can seek to remove an individual from the U.S. if they entered the country illegally, overstayed a visa, or committed certain crimes, it is not able to do so over a person expressing an opinion or viewpoint, which the post appeared to target.

The First Amendment applies to all within the U.S., including immigrants in the country legally and otherwise, though the extent of its protection remains subject to some legal debate. The Supreme Court has indicated that non-citizens lawfully present in the U.S. are generally afforded First Amendment protections. ICE, or any other federal agency, is not permitted to take action against an immigrant purely for their political or religious beliefs.

But in recent weeks, the lines have been blurred, as the agency acts on President Donald Trump's executive orders to get tough on illegal immigration and antisemitism.

This has led to hundreds of student visas being revoked by the State Department, following the protests on college campuses, as well as the high-profile arrests of Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, and Tufts doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk.

The president, and members of his cabinet responsible for immigration and national security, have argued that certain ideas that go against U.S. foreign policy — such as support of Hamas — could pose a danger to national security.

What People Are Saying

Beatriz Lopez, Immigration Hub co-executive director, told Newsweek in a statement while the post was live: "Calling ideas 'illegal' is the language of authoritarian regimes—not a serious immigration policy. This isn't about safety or protecting working families; it's about using immigrants as scapegoats to criminalize dissent and consolidate power. The administration is making clear it will punish not just people, but the very act of speaking out."

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, reacting to the post on X: "Trump's ICE publishes a graphic saying they are going to be stopping "ideas" from "illegally" crossing the border. Remind me again whether we're supposed to be a free country?"

National Coalition Against Censorship, in a post on X: "No idea is illegal. It is breathtakingly absurd and outrageous to even suggest that ideas need to be policed. And that the promise of the First Amendment--the freedom to think freely--is the bedrock of American values. This post subverts everything our constitution stands for."

What's Next

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) have said they will monitor immigrants' social media for potential antisemitic sentiments, while Khalil and Ozturk's cases, along with several other similar cases, continue to be fought in the courts.