WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, is aggressively recruiting personnel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to accelerate the deportation of undocumented immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering unprecedented financial incentives and actively promoting these positions on social media, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.

Unprecedented Incentives to Attract Applicants 

ICE is offering lucrative bonuses and benefits to entice new recruits. The agency is advertising a signing bonus of up to $50,000 and a student loan repayment benefit of up to $60,000. These incentives are a stark contrast to typical federal hiring practices and highlight the administration's urgent need to bolster its enforcement ranks.

The annual salaries are also highly competitive:

Deportation Officers: $49,739 to $101,860
Criminal Investigators: $63,148 to $144,031
These figures are notably higher than the starting salaries for police officers in major cities like New York ($61,000) and Chicago ($62,000), making the ICE positions financially attractive.

In addition to these benefits, ICE has created new positions for applicants over 40 and launched a "return to mission" campaign to re-recruit retired law enforcement officials. The agency's social media presence, including a post on its X (formerly Twitter) account featuring an "Uncle Sam" image with the caption, "America has been invaded by criminals and predators. We need you to drive them out," further underscores its aggressive recruitment drive.

Risks and Criticisms 

While the recruitment efforts have been successful in attracting a large number of applicants—DHS reports that over 110,000 people have applied—the job comes with significant risks. ICE positions are described as physically demanding and high-stress, with new hires warned they will be operating in dangerous situations.

Under the Trump administration’s more aggressive directives, ICE has conducted "random arrest" raids in immigrant-dense areas, leading to strong resistance from targeted communities. As a result, many of the new hires are expected to be experienced law enforcement professionals already trained to handle such volatile situations.

This has drawn criticism from local law enforcement leaders. Florida Sheriff Grady Judd stated that it is "not right" for a federal agency to poach essential personnel from local jurisdictions, as ICE has been sending emails directly to local law enforcement officers to encourage them to apply.

Deportation Numbers on the Rise 

Data from the "Deportation Data Project" shows that ICE has deported 144,000 individuals as of the end of June, a slight increase compared to the 136,854 deportations during the same period last year under the Biden administration. The intensified recruitment efforts suggest the current administration is aiming for an even higher number of deportations in the coming months.