The Houston office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is one of the most reliable engines of America’s deportation machine.

Even before Donald Trump took office a second time, with the goal of 1 million immigrant expulsions in a year, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office was deporting 12,000 to 15,000 people annually, according to its director, Bret Bradford.

Bradford — a darling of right-wing deportation coverage, from the New York Post to Fox News — touts his determination to “restore law and order in our communities.” He recently lauded “the brave men and women at ICE Houston” for their “unwavering dedication,” and for working “tirelessly every day to enhance public safety.”

Scores of internal documents reviewed by The Intercept pain

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