ICE, National Guard & Border Patrol: Who's on US streets and how to recognise them

While ICE faces protests in Minneapolis, Border Patrol marches through Chicago and National Guard patrols in Memphis. Over the past year, a variety of federal forces have descended on the American streets on the orders of President Trump.

While Americans have come to fear any authority on the streets, it often becomes extremely difficult to tell them apart. To understand the extent of their powers and your rights against them. Now, a New York Times report has helped clear the fog for all.

ICE

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the primary immigration law enforcement agency in the US. Its officers wear a variety of uniforms and identifiers such as their vests which may have labels like ERO, POLICE HSI, POLICE and more. The agency consists of two main branches: Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) which handles arrests and deportations and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which used to handle transnational crimes but now focuses on other arrests.

Sometimes ICE officers can also appear in plainclothes and at others they can be in full military-style attire like the agency's Special Response Teams.

Border Patrol

Law enforcement at the border is handled by Customs and Border Protection. However, under the Trump administration, officers have been deployed nationwide to arrest immigrants. Their uniforms also differ. They can be in plainclothes with a vest specifying US Border Patrol, their tactical teams wear vest patches that read "Border Patrol" or just "Police".

National Guard

Trump has been cracking down on immigration and so have been the civilians on the protests against it. As a result, the President sent National Guard troops to Chicago, Portland, Oregon and more citing the need to protect immigration agents and federal property. In their military uniforms, National Guard troops carry shields, batons and rifles. It is a part-time military force, mostly called upon during natural disasters, wars or civil unrest.

As more and more federal forces hide behind masks and coverings, it is vital to recognise the difference between them and their powers. As Trump's campaigns intersect, all kinds of law enforcement officers have been sharing overlapping roles.

While immigration was an ICE and Border Patrol field, agencies within the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department have taken upon the work. Local police is working with DHS and National Guard is helping federal forces. The criteria is not clear but the aim is.