ICE Agents Report Burnout as Trump Slashes NASA Budget and Delays Disaster Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Morale is plummeting inside the nation’s immigration enforcement agency as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials report burnout, ethical concerns, and increasing internal pressure—while former President Donald Trump simultaneously draws criticism for gutted NASA funding and delayed flood rescue efforts in Texas.
The report from Aaron Parnas on Substack details how ICE agents are “miserable,” citing predawn raids, politically motivated arrests, and quotas that deprioritize major criminal investigations. Many say they feel trapped in a “mission impossible,” citing leadership chaos and public scrutiny.
ICE Struggles with Overwork, Low Morale
According to the report, June saw over 30,000 immigrant arrests by ICE—marking the highest monthly total in over five years. However, only 18,000 deportations were completed due to legal obstacles like ongoing asylum cases. The result: overcrowded detention centers and growing concern over detainee safety.
Agents are facing pressure from Trump adviser Stephen Miller, whose directives allegedly emphasized numbers over mission integrity. The culture of fear, legal uncertainty, and staff burnout has only intensified as ICE leadership faces constant turnover and public backlash.
Texas Flood Rescue Delayed by Bureaucratic Hurdles
While ICE struggles internally, a separate crisis unfolded in Texas, where devastating flash floods left 173 people missing. FEMA’s response was reportedly delayed for 72 hours due to a new rule requiring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to approve any spending over $100,000.
The delay drew fire from emergency response advocates and raised alarms over the Trump administration’s broader goal to reduce FEMA’s autonomy and shift more disaster response responsibility to individual states.
NASA Faces 25% Budget Cut Under New Trump Appointee
Another major development from the White House: Trump has installed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as interim NASA administrator, after withdrawing support for tech billionaire Jared Isaacman. The move comes amid a major budget proposal that would slash NASA’s funding by 25% and eliminate over 5,000 jobs.
Duffy, who has no prior space policy experience, will now oversee an agency grappling with the departure of over 2,100 senior employees. Observers worry the staffing collapse and budget cuts will jeopardize U.S. space leadership, especially as rivals like China continue to expand their space programs.
Whistleblower Reveals DOJ Misconduct
Separately, new whistleblower texts and emails show Trump judicial nominee Emil Bove allegedly urged DOJ lawyers to ignore a court order to return a wrongly deported immigrant. The messages, obtained by CBS News, include efforts to falsely link the individual to MS-13 gang activity, a move legal experts say could endanger Bove’s confirmation.
Public and Political Fallout Mounts
Meanwhile, Trump continues to make waves with sweeping tariffs—including a 50% tariff on Brazil, retaliatory threats toward other nations, and controversial remarks about Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English fluency, which drew backlash despite official efforts to downplay the incident.
In Congress, tension brews as Sen. Josh Hawley—once a strong supporter of Trump’s latest legislative package—breaks with the GOP over Medicaid cuts, especially in rural areas.
What’s your take on Trump’s recent moves—from NASA funding cuts to ICE burnout and delayed disaster response? Share your thoughts in the comments at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
