Joining ICE Could Net $50,000 Bonus, DHS Launches Recruitment Drive
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is offering significant incentives to attract new recruits amid President Donald Trump’s accelerated deportation agenda. As part of a major expansion of the agency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has removed age limits for law enforcement positions and created a new role called Deportation Officer, open specifically to applicants over 40.
According to the Wall Street Journal, new ICE employees may receive a $50,000 one-time bonus and up to $60,000 in student loan forgiveness. The recruitment drive does not require an undergraduate degree, making the positions accessible to a broader pool of candidates.
The DHS has also employed creative strategies to encourage enlistment, including using historic World War II imagery and even the likeness of 1990s “Superman” actor Dean Cain. The ICE recruitment website emphasizes the agency’s mission: “America has been targeted by criminals and predators. We need you to remove them.”
This surge in hiring is supported by over $150 billion in federal funding allocated under Trump’s tax and spending bill to implement what is being called the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. The initiative also aims to entice retired law enforcement officers to return to service under the new age-flexible positions.
The campaign reflects the administration’s focus on accelerating legal and illegal immigration enforcement while expanding ICE’s operational capacity nationwide.
