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ICE Recruitment Blitz Attracts More Than 100,000 Applicants

More than 100,000 applicants have answered the call after age caps were removed, bonuses offered, recruitment criteria eased; limited training capacity may slow the flow of new ICE agents.

Ali Velshi; ICE badge.
Image
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - JULY 21: Federal immigration agents are seen patrolling the corridors of the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building and prepare to detain an individual outside the immigration court in New York City, United States, on July 21, 2025. Several undocumented immigrants were reportedly detained inside the courthouse during ongoing immigration proceedings. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Overview

  • DHS says its late-July drive, backed by fresh congressional appropriations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, has drawn over 100,000 applications for 10,000 new ICE officers in under two weeks.
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waived prior age restrictions, opening eligible candidates from age 18 through well past 40.
  • Recruitment materials deploy stark national-security imagery and enlist public figures while promising up to $50,000 in signing bonuses and $60,000 in student-loan repayment.
  • Centralized training at FLETC in Georgia faces instructor and facility bottlenecks, and prolonged background checks mean fully onboarded agents may arrive slowly.
  • Local sheriffs and civil-rights advocates warn the aggressive drive could drain understaffed police departments and prompt legal challenges in sanctuary jurisdictions.