Overview
- A 30-page internal document reviewed by the Washington Post details a yearlong push to recruit deportation officers by targeting UFC attendees, listeners of patriotic podcasts, and gun‑rights enthusiasts with platform‑specific ads on Snapchat, Rumble, and other networks.
- The strategy relies on geofencing to trigger ads for people near military bases, NASCAR races, college campuses, and gun and trade shows, with messaging that frames the work as a sacred duty to defend the homeland.
- ICE plans to allocate at least $8 million to influencer partnerships, estimating more than 5,000 applicants at roughly $1,500 per application.
- Federal awards data show nearly $40 million has already gone to marketing firms supporting the campaign, though how much of the proposed $100 million has been executed remains unclear.
- To accelerate hiring, ICE has removed some age and degree requirements, shortened training, and offered sign‑on bonuses up to $50,000, prompting warnings from former officials that the wartime tone and speed could attract combat‑oriented recruits and raise operational risks.