Overview
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLoughlin said 175,000 people have applied to join ICE, citing figures shared on October 15.
- McLoughlin said Congress funded hiring for more than 10,000 ICE enforcement officers and about 5,000 have been hired so far.
- The recruiting campaign features up to $50,000 sign-on bonuses and patriotic messaging targeted to prospective applicants.
- DHS argues that increased arrests will prompt additional voluntary departures as enforcement operations scale up.
- The hiring surge aligns with President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda; Just the News reports Trump has floated removing up to 21 million people and cites reporting of roughly 2.2 million departures to date.