A government watchdog report urging the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to adopt automatically activated body‑worn cameras was dismissed by ICE on Wednesday. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office had recommended that the agency update its camera policy so that devices turn on without manual prompting, especially during unexpected encounters that might involve force. The report argued that automated activation could help ensure footage is captured in line with policy and reduce reliance on officers remembering to start recording. ICE countered that the change raised privacy risks and declined the suggestion. The agency noted that all of its offices had received body cameras by early August, though training on their use remained incomplete. The watchdog’s proposal emerged amid heightened scrutiny of ICE’s actions, including recent incidents in which agents opened fire during immigration operations. In January, two U.S. citizens were killed in separate Minneapolis shootings linked to immigration enforcement, and a July New York Times analysis identified at least 25 such shootings since the start of the current administration, with a more recent CBS News count putting the figure at 30 incidents, nine of them fatal. Critics have questioned official accounts of some of these encounters, citing video evidence that contradicts claims of imminent threat. ICE has maintained that officers acted in self‑defense, but investigations into several shootings remain under review. Lawmakers from the Democratic Party have withheld funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, citing the need for reforms to curb excessive force. The agency also warned that automatic recording could inadvertently capture sensitive interactions with informants or victims. Activists argue that improved recording protocols could increase transparency and accountability, but the administration has yet to adopt the watchdog’s recommendations.