President Donald Trump publicly backed a proposal to rename Immigration and Customs Enforcement as National Immigration and Customs Enforcement, forcing critics and media outlets to refer to border agents as NICE rather than the controversial ICE acronym.
President Embraces Social Media Suggestion
Trump shared his support through a Truth Social post on Sunday, endorsing an idea originally floated on X. The suggestion came from a user who proposed the name change specifically to force media coverage to reference NICE agents instead of ICE agents. The president responded enthusiastically with “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT” on his post. When contacted for official comment, a White House spokesperson directed reporters back to the Truth Social announcement, while the official White House rapid response account on X amplified the message by sharing a screenshot of Trump’s original post.
HILARIOUS: President Trump FULLY SUPPORTS ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) being changed to NICE (National Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT” pic.twitter.com/jKxJk2jRD7
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) April 27, 2026
Political Battle Over Border Enforcement
The potential rebrand comes as the Trump administration continues its aggressive border security policies and immigration enforcement operations. The agency has faced sustained criticism from progressive lawmakers who want to eliminate it entirely. Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington declared earlier this month that ICE terrorizes communities, detains American citizens, and allows deaths in custody. She called for abolishing the agency completely. The name change would represent a direct counter to these abolition efforts while maintaining the agency’s enforcement mission unchanged.
Strategic Messaging Shift
The proposed name modification appears designed to shift public perception without altering agency operations. Adding National to the acronym would create a messaging advantage by associating border enforcement with patriotic imagery while forcing opponents to criticize agents operating under a positive-sounding name. The administration has made border security a central priority, implementing expanded detention operations and deportation efforts. Whether Trump will formally implement the change through executive action remains uncertain, though his public endorsement suggests serious consideration. The move would require updating federal statutes, agency signage, uniforms, and official documentation across thousands of facilities nationwide if fully executed.