U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced January 3 that it has increased its workforce by more than 120% following a nationwide recruitment campaign that brought in over 12,000 new officers and agents in less than a year.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency received more than 220,000 applications and exceeded its original hiring goal of 10,000 personnel. ICE said the new hires expanded the agency’s workforce from approximately 10,000 officers and agents to more than 22,000 nationwide.
“The good news is that thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill that President Donald Trump signed, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country,” said Tricia McLaughlin, ICE’s assistant secretary for public affairs. “That’s a 120% increase in our workforce. And that’s in just about four months.”
ICE said thousands of the newly hired officers and agents are already deployed nationwide and supporting enforcement operations, including arrests, investigations, and removals. The agency described the hiring surge as the fastest deployment pace in its history.
Officials attributed the accelerated hiring to a data-driven recruitment campaign aimed at attracting qualified candidates while maintaining existing training and readiness standards. ICE said the expanded workforce will allow the agency to increase operational capacity across multiple enforcement priorities.
The agency said it will continue accepting applications and encouraged individuals interested in federal law enforcement careers to apply through its official recruitment website.
