DHS Ends Age Limit for ICE Applications
In an interview with Fox & Friends on Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) has eliminated the age cap on executive applications.
Noem encouraged viewers to consider applying for positions at ICE. The department is planning to boost its workforce significantly after President Donald Trump’s legislation passed in July, which aimed to increase the number of agents.
“We’ve removed the age barrier, so now there are no restrictions on how old applicants can be,” Noem stated. She mentioned that recruitment efforts to hire 10,000 new ICE officers have been largely successful.
She noted that there are already “over 80,000 applicants for these 10,000 positions,” emphasizing the overwhelming response from the public.
DHS also issued a statement suggesting that more patriotic Americans are now eligible to join ICE in efforts to combat serious crimes, including violence and human trafficking.
“In light of the current border situation, our country urgently needs dedicated individuals in ICE to help tackle these issues,” the statement added.
The recruitment effort includes positions for deportation officers, criminal investigators, and general prosecutors, among others.
Along with the removal of the age cap, several incentives have been introduced, such as a signing bonus of up to $50,000, options for student loan forgiveness, and retirement benefits.
DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked that this decision indicates that the DHS is responsive to the concerns of Americans. ICE shared sentiments reflecting their commitment to this initiative, saying, “You spoke, we listened, we took action.” They emphasized the importance of safeguarding communities.
This announcement followed comments from former ICE head Tom Homan, who indicated that ICE had expelled over 300,000 undocumented individuals within the year. The move comes amid heightened efforts to address illegal immigration and reports of unrest against ICE agents in various major cities.
Despite facing significant opposition, ICE has reportedly made substantial progress in addressing undocumented criminal activity that previously went unnoticed during the current administration.
