Karen Beckels Returns: Inside ICE & Beyond
What’s it like to serve inside ICE, and then walk away? Karen Beckels returns to the Pond with unflinching honesty about power, conflict, and transformation.
Summary
In this return episode of Ducking Realitea, former ICE agent Karen Beckels joins Siobhan to dig into the tough questions most people avoid. Karen first appeared on From Rikers to Reiki, where she shared her remarkable journey from corrections to healing work. This time, she returns against the backdrop of current ICE controversies to reflect on what it was really like to be inside the system, and why she left.
Karen speaks candidly about the moral dilemmas she faced while working in immigration enforcement, how it shaped her understanding of justice, and the emotional toll of carrying out policies that often conflicted with her values. She shares what it feels like to watch ICE from the outside now, unpacking the changes in the agency, the public narratives, and the realities behind the headlines.
But this episode isn’t only about ICE, it’s about growth and transformation. Karen opens up about choosing healing practices like Reiki, finding her footing beyond enforcement, and the importance of telling uncomfortable truths. With warmth, candor, and courage, she invites listeners to rethink power, accountability, and what resilience really means.
KAREN BECKELS
Karen Beckels is a former immigration and corrections officer with over two decades of law enforcement experience. Now a Reiki practitioner and community wellness advocate, she uses her unique background to promote healing and understanding. Karen is currently developing programs to support first responders and individuals in recovery.
💡 Key Takeaways
Law enforcement requires profound emotional intelligence and humanity
Systemic racism deeply impacts immigration enforcement
Professional integrity matters more than following problematic orders
Community healing requires honest, vulnerable conversations
First responders need dedicated mental health support
"I never had to prove I could fight - I proved I could communicate."
~ Karen
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Community wellness programs
Reiki healing practices