Trump Suggests Renaming ICE to NICE to Counter Media Criticism

US President Donald Trump has suggested changing the name of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to “NICE” by adding the letter “N” for “National,” saying the move would counter criticism from the media and political opponents.

Trump made the proposal in a post shared on his official X handle on Saturday, where he also launched a poll asking supporters whether the agency’s name should be changed.

The president argued that ICE had been unfairly targeted by what he described as “Fake News Media” and defended the agency’s officers as “great patriots” working in difficult conditions.

Trump wrote that changing the agency’s name from ICE to NICE would “discombobulate” critics and journalists, claiming they would struggle with the use of a more positive-sounding name when reporting on immigration enforcement activities.

Explaining the idea behind the proposed rebrand, Trump said critics would have to use phrases such as “NICE Facility” or “NICE Agents” when reporting on the agency’s operations.

According to him, the change would involve only the addition of the word “National” to the existing title, creating “National Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” which he described as a more prestigious name.

The president, however, acknowledged that the proposal had received mixed reactions from within the agency. He said Tom Homan, the former acting director of ICE and a prominent supporter of stricter border enforcement policies, informed him that some officers were not as enthusiastic about the idea as others.

Trump concluded his post by asking members of the public to vote on whether the additional letter should be added to change ICE to NICE.

The suggestion comes amid ongoing political debates in the United States over immigration enforcement, border security and the role of federal immigration agencies.

ICE, established in 2003, is responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws and investigating cross-border criminal activities, including human trafficking and drug smuggling. The agency has frequently faced criticism from immigration advocates and political opponents over its enforcement policies, while supporters argue it plays a key role in maintaining national security.