ICE plans to hire 5,000 new employees to expand migration operations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to hire approximately 5,000 new employees by the end of 2026 to bolster migration operations. This expansion, supported by Congressional resources for the Department of Homeland Security, aims to increase the agency's workforce by about 17%, potentially bringing the total number of employees to over 34,000.

The new hires will primarily consist of deportation officers responsible for arrests, detention custody, and the management of immigration files. The recruitment drive is intended to support federal directives focused on increasing arrests and repatriations.

However, the rapid hiring process has raised concerns among public security experts and civil organizations. Critics have questioned the rigor of background checks, polygraph tests, and psychological evaluations, fearing that the accelerated timeline might lead to the recruitment of insufficiently trained or vetted personnel. Meanwhile, some current agents are reportedly working extended shifts of up to seven consecutive days to meet existing operational demands.