More than 150,000 people apply to work for ICE as agency expands deportation efforts

“ICE has received more than 150,000 applications from patriotic Americans who want to defend the homeland by removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from the U.S.,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday. She added that over 18,000 people have already been given tentative job offers. “Americans are answering their country’s call to serve and help remove murderers, pedophiles, rapists, terrorists, and gang members from our country.”

The wave in application comes after a summer of anti-ICE protests, many of which turned violent, in response to Trump’s push for more deportations. At the same time, ICE has been given a major funding boost.

In July, Trump signed an immigration bill that added $75 billion for ICE operations—$30 billion for arrests and deportations, and $45 billion to expand detention space. Since then, ICE has been running a major hiring campaign, offering six-figure salaries for some recruits along with bonuses of up to $50,000, student loan repayment, stronger retirement benefits, and extra overtime pay for certain enforcement officers.

ICE is also reaching out to former officers who left during the Biden years through a program called “Operation Return to Mission.” The agency has asked them to come back, and last month, Noem announced ICE would no longer limit new hires by age, lifting rules that previously blocked applicants over 37 or 40 from some jobs.

Enforcement has already been stepped up in several cities. ICE carried out major operations in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, and last week launched “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, aimed at criminal illegal immigrants who, according to DHS, had moved to Illinois because of the state’s sanctuary policies.