More than 100,000 Americans have applied to join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) just two weeks after President Trump launched an initiative to hire 10,000 new agents, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital. The agency had already received 80,000 applications by August 6.
“Our country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Trump administration is ramping up border security efforts following record levels of illegal immigration under the Biden administration, an increase supported by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
The ICE recruitment campaign includes signing bonuses of up to $50,000, student loan forgiveness, availability pay, and enhanced retirement benefits, all made possible through the “One Big Beautiful Bill” funding. CBP has also launched a nationwide effort to bring back agents who retired between 2020 and 2024, calling their experience “crucial” to addressing future challenges.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons echoed the call to serve, stating, “Your country is calling on you to serve at ICE and defend the Homeland. … Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, we now have funding to recruit and hire Americans who want to patriotically serve their country and protect American communities.”
ICE applicants are required to undergo a medical screening, drug screening, and physical fitness test.
