ICE Announces Historic 120% Manpower Increase, Thanks to Recruitment Campaign that brought in 12,000 Officers and Agents

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced that its unprecedented nationwide recruitment campaign has shattered expectations, hiring more than 12,000 officers and agents in less than a year.

After receiving more than 220,000 applications to join ICE from patriotic Americans, ICE blew past its original hiring target of 10,000 new officers and agents within a year. In fact, we have more than doubled our officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000. With these new patriots on the team, we will be able to accomplish what many say was impossible and fulfill President Trump’s promise to make America safe again.

“The good news is that thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “That’s a 120% increase in our workforce. And that’s in just about four months.”

Thousands of these newly hired officers and agents are already deployed nationwide and actively supporting enforcement operations, including arrests, investigations, and removals. The accelerated hiring tempo has allowed ICE to place officers in the field faster than any previous recruitment effort in the agency’s history. 

The recruitment initiative utilized data driven outreach efforts to recruit qualified patriotic Americans from across the country. As a result, ICE was able to exceed its hiring surge target while maintaining rigorous standards for training and readiness.

ICE continues to accept applications and encourages individuals interested in federal law enforcement careers to learn more at join.ice.gov.

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