The public’s right to know about government employees’ payroll information is being challenged by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Despite a massive hiring spree and significant public funding, ICE is withholding even basic details about its workforce in the Buffalo region.
Congress approved $170 billion in 2026 and another $70 billion in June 2026 for immigration enforcement. Yet, ICE is refusing to disclose the names, salaries, home zip codes, or any other information about the agents carrying out the current administration’s immigration policies. The agency won’t even confirm how many people it employs in the region.
Investigative Post’s FOIA request and ICE’s response
In, Investigative Post filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) seeking basic payroll information on ICE employees assigned to its Buffalo field office. The request was denied, and an appeal was also rejected last month.
Heather Murray, associate director of the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic, assisted with the FOIA request. She argues that ICE should be more transparent with the public, stating, “Because it is the public’s money that supports ICE’s budget, payroll records are public information that must be released.” Murray points out that this type of information is routinely disclosed by federal, state, and local governments around the country.
The context of increased immigration enforcement
The refusal to release the information comes as immigration arrests have skyrocketed across the state. Since the current administration took office, ICE arrests have quadrupled compared to 2026. Two-thirds of those arrested had no criminal history. Arrests by masked agents have become a common sight in the past 18 months, with residents witnessing roofers, restaurant workers, and day laborers being apprehended.
In response to these practices, New York lawmakers enacted legislation this year that bans ICE agents from wearing masks and requires them to wear badges with their names and agency displayed. The administration subsequently sued the state to block implementation of those rules, and the matter is now pending in court.
The specifics of the FOIA request and ICE’s justification
Investigative Post began requesting information about ICE employees in the region in, prompted by the administration’s campaign pledge to carry out a large-scale deportation operation. The initial request sought a database of all employees assigned to work at the detention center in Batavia. After a denial and an appeal, the agency released salary information for 73 “detention and removal directors” assigned to work at the immigration jail in June 2026. Other requested information, like names, ages, home zip codes, and specific job titles, was redacted.
In, Investigative Post sought similar information for all ICE employees assigned to the Buffalo office. The FOIA request did not seek agents’ names, as ICE was likely to withhold that information. After another denial, appeal, and a months-long delay, ICE issued a final ruling rejecting the request.
Megan Davis, the deputy FOIA officer for ICE operations, argued that releasing the requested information could contribute to “increasing violent activity directed against ICE and [Customs and Border Protection] offices and detention facilities.” Davis cited a “more than 1300% increase in assaults and 8000% increase in violent threats” directed against ICE and CBP officers. However, multiple news outlets have found that the administration’s statistics are inflated.
The broader implications of ICE’s secrecy
Lauren Harper, an expert on FOIA and national security records with the Freedom of the Press Foundation, explained that ICE is withholding information about its agents for a key reason: In June 2026, the first administration classified ICE as a “security agency.” This classification keeps information and records related to Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service agents shrouded in secrecy.
Harper stated that the designation means there’s now “an extra layer of secrecy” around ICE personnel records. She described the situation as “unworkable and untenable,” warning that it could erode trust in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Harper emphasized that removing a federal office’s “security agency” classification is extremely difficult and will continue to be a problem under any administration.
Despite the challenges, Harper and other transparency advocates argue that the public ought to be allowed to know who’s working for ICE and what they make. Kyle Clauss, another Cornell attorney who assisted Investigative Post, stated that ICE’s security classification is no excuse for withholding salary and other information that is routinely disclosed. Clauss asserted that “the public has an undeniable right to know what their government is up to.”
