ICE says it's issued more than 1,000 tentative job offers to ramp up enforcement efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has issued more than 1,000 tentative job offers as it continues to ramp up its efforts for ongoing enforcement. 

1,000 tentative job offers 

What we know:

Since July 4, ICE officials say they have issued more than 1,000 tentative job offers. They said this marks a significant milestone in its ongoing recruitment efforts.

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ICE has extended first-round job offers to several former ICE officers and agents who retired under the previous administration.

ICE is also offering several recruitment incentives to attract new officers, including a signing bonus of up to $50,000, student loan repayment options and enhanced retirement benefits. 

‘People are lining up to work with us’

What they're saying:

"We’re excited to welcome patriots who want to serve their country and make a difference in people’s daily lives," Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said. "People who have received tentative offers will qualify for the incredible benefits we’re offering under this unprecedented initiative — including $50,000 bonuses and student loan forgiveness."

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"People were frustrated under the Biden administration," Lyons said. "They couldn’t do the jobs they signed up to do. Now, people are lining up to work with us, because they know our officers and agents are allowed to enforce immigration law fairly and across the board, and that’s a cause people really believe in."

‘What the h*** were you thinking?’

The other side:

Critics express concerns about the potential negative impacts of the recruitment, including the rapid expansion potentially compromising quality and ethics, and the agency "poaching" staff from other law enforcement agencies. Several local sheriffs have voiced concerns about the effect of ICE's recruiting practices on their own staffing needs. 

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey finds the move appalling.

"What the h*** were you thinking?" Ivey asked of ICE. "Why would you go after those that are trying to help you and try and recruit away the law enforcement officers from the very law enforcement agencies that are protecting our communities?"

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri shared similar concerns in a statement.

"We have partnered with ICE like no other state," Gualtieri said in a statement. "ICE actively trying to use our partnership to recruit our personnel is wrong, and we have expressed our concern to ICE leadership."

Immigration enforcement ramps up across the country

Dig deeper:

The push for increased ICE recruitment is primarily driven by a surge in funding for immigration enforcement and the Trump administration's goal to significantly ramp up deportations. The administration has set ambitious goals for deportations, and the increased recruitment is intended to help ICE meet these targets, which include removing 1 million people per year.

This includes a recent congressional allocation of $150 billion, with $30 billion earmarked for ICE recruitment, including signing bonuses. The agency is aiming to hire 10,000 new personnel to meet deportation targets and bolster its ranks.