Why do Latinos join ICE?

Why do Latinos join ICE?

From Code Switch by NPR

May 20, 2026 · 33 min

About this episode

The episode explores the reasons why many Latinos choose to work for ICE and the complexities behind their motivations.

Latinos make up at least 50% of all Customs and Border Patrol agents and 20% of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — which has a lot of critics asking, why? We talk to Geraldo Cadava, professor of Latino Studies at Northwestern and contributor to the Atlantic, to break down some of the reasons Latinos join ICE, and he tells us, there are many people who believe in the mission of immigration enforcement. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guest: Geraldo Cadava

Topics covered

  • Latinos
  • ICE
  • immigration enforcement
  • Customs and Border Patrol
  • cultural identity
  • Latino Studies

Keywords

  • Latinos
  • ICE
  • Customs and Border Patrol
  • immigration
  • enforcement
  • Geraldo Cadava
  • cultural identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Atlantic

Places: Northwestern

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