Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is looking to expand its workforce, offering financial incentives to attract a significant number of new employees.
ICE Announces Ambitious Hiring Drive to Increase Deportation Capacity
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing criticism from immigration advocacy groups, but the agency is pushing ahead with a significant hiring drive. ICE is seeking to recruit 10,000 new employees, including experienced law enforcement and immigration personnel, to expand its workforce and enhance its deportation capabilities [1][3][4].
The hiring drive is a response to President Trump's pledge of mass deportations and the increased caseload due to border crossings. ICE is offering attractive incentives to attract potential candidates, such as up to $50,000 signing bonuses, student loan repayment and forgiveness, law enforcement overtime pay, and enhanced retirement benefits [1][3][4].
ICE is not only focusing on frontline agents but is also recruiting for roles in management, IT, law, healthcare, and public affairs. The agency has broadened eligibility by waiving previous age limits, allowing a wider age range to fill various operational and support positions [1][4].
Former federal employees, including retired ICE officers, are explicitly encouraged to rejoin the agency, with ICE assuring them they can continue receiving their federal pensions while working new ICE roles. This strategy aims to rapidly increase staff numbers to meet ambitious deportation goals set by the Administration, such as deporting 1 million people in the first year and conducting 3,000 arrests a day [2][4].
ICE is also planning to increase the number of deportation flights in the coming months and is offering relocation assistance to new hires. The new hires will be deployed across various ICE offices nationwide. To ensure efficiency, ICE is offering training programs for new hires and implementing a more rigorous background check process [1][2][4].
The recruitment effort includes an increased focus on universities and colleges, as ICE looks to attract young, skilled professionals. This ambitious hiring drive comes amid concerns that ICE hasn’t yet met its operational arrest and deportation targets.
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/16/politics/ice-hiring-drive-10000-employees/index.html [2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-ice/ice-to-hire-10000-new-agents-in-bid-to-increase-deportation-capacity-idUSKBN2G628F [3] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ice-hiring-10-000-new-agents-expand-deportation-capacity-n1277756 [4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/16/ice-hiring-10000-agents-deportation-force/
- The ambitious hiring drive by ICE, aiming to recruit 10,000 new employees, involves not only frontline agents but also roles in management, IT, law, healthcare, and public affairs, as stated in the Washington Post article.
- ICE's policy-and-legislation strategy includes an increased focus on universities and colleges, as they seek to attract young, skilled professionals for various operational and support positions, as mentioned in the CNN article.
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