ICE announces historic 120% manpower increase thanks to recruitment campaign that brought in 12,000 officers and agents

WASHINGTON - ICE today announced that its unprecedented nationwide recruitment campaign has shattered expectations, hiring more than 12,000 officers and employees in less than a year.

After receiving more than 220,000 applications from patriotic Americans to join ICE, the agency blew past its original hiring target of 10,000 new officers and agents within a year. In fact, it has more than doubled ICE personnel from 10,000 to 22,000. With these new patriots on the team, ICE will be able to accomplish what many said 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 Homeland Security 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 used 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.