Photo: Alamy
More than 100,000 Americans have applied to join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following the Trump administration’s hard push to recruit thousands of new agents.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the stunning application numbers on Tuesday.
“Our country is calling you to serve at ICE,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “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.”
This surge in applicants comes just weeks after President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law. The legislation boosted border security and immigration enforcement by at least $165 billion, funding the hiring of thousands of new enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents.
“This is a defining moment in our nation’s history,” Noem continued in her statement. “Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”
According to DHS, those hired to work at ICE may receive up to $50,000 in signing bonuses and student loan repayment and forgiveness options.
Additionally, Noem previously announced that DHS would waive age limits to allow more applicants to qualify for ICE.
All recruits will be required to undergo medical and drug screenings, as well as physical fitness tests.
Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk remarked on X, “These are brave patriots who want to restore safety, sovereignty, and the rule of law in America. God bless them all.”
The monumental surge in applications at ICE comes amid an uptick in violent assaults against law enforcement. According to DHS, ICE officers are facing a 1000 percent increase in assaults against them amid political smears and rhetoric aimed at the vilification of law enforcement.
“We will not and have not let this violence stop us or slow us down,” the department said on X.