U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers received orders this week prohibiting high-speed car chases and limiting vehicle stops to those who have completed specific training.

A memo dated Wednesday and signed by ICE executive associate director Marcos D. Charles directed Enforcement and Removal Operations personnel not to pursue vehicles that fail to pull over under any circumstances. Officers must instead record vehicle information for later investigation.

The policy change follows fatal shootings of drivers during ICE encounters in Maine and Texas in July. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin temporarily paused most vehicle stops at that time, though President Trump later overturned the pause amid internal tensions over enforcement priorities.

Additional requirements include the use of marked vehicles equipped with lights and sirens, mandatory activation of body-worn cameras by all officers on scene, and restrictions on who may lead stops. Only personnel who have finished one of the agency's designated training courses can conduct vehicle stops, while untrained officers may participate only in support roles.

The guidance allows officers to pin vehicles when necessary for safety but explicitly bars pursuits. Vehicle stops remain an important tool in the administration's immigration enforcement efforts targeting illegal immigrants.

Earlier incidents highlighted risks, including a recent Austin case where surveillance video showed an ICE agent chasing a suspect at high speeds through residential streets after an initial stop. Testimony in related proceedings revealed issues with body camera use during one pursuit.

The memo aims to standardize procedures and reduce liability in high-risk traffic encounters while maintaining operational capability for removing criminal aliens and other immigration violators.