This is Brian Lair's Daily Politics podcast from WNYC Studios. It's Thursday, August 28th.

I'm Bridget Bergen, senior reporter in the WNYC and Gothamist Newsroom filling in for Brian today.

President Trump's mass deportation policy is moving into a new phase. A close-up on the agency charged with executing

this policy, immigration and customs enforcement or ICE, shows a distinct shift in its outward

tone and posture. Social media videos produced by the agency for publicity

and recruitment purposes show images of tricked-out SUVs emblazoned with the agency's new logo

and Trump's name. My next guest says Trump appointees are trying to supersize ICE using a

multi-billion dollar cash infusion and driven by an unwavering commitment

to deliver on the president's political promises. These changes are raising concerns among

career ice veterans, conservative law enforcement officials, and Democrats alike. Nick Miroff is a staff

writer at the Atlantic who covers immigration, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. and Mexico border.

His latest article is headlined, Fast Times at Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Nick, welcome to WNYC.

Thank you. It's great to be with you.

To help us understand some of the most recent changes at ICE, I wonder if you could take a step back and talk for a moment

about what veterans of the agency considered

to be their role prior to Trump's inauguration?

I mean, for the last few years,

and certainly during the Biden administration,

the agency really emphasized that it was going after criminal aliens, right?

There is broad consensus, you know, across party lines that immigrants who commit violent or serious felonies, you know, should be deported from the United States.

And so, you know, I think it's always been a fairly safe, you know, fairly safe messaging for ICE to really emphasize that criminals are its priority.

...