In a bid to ramp up recruitment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has eliminated age restrictions for new hires at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the controversial agency at the forefront of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.
The decision follows a major funding boost from Congress earlier this summer, which allocated money for ICE to hire 10,000 additional personnel. With its hiring goals now supercharged, DHS announced on Wednesday that age limits for ICE applicants would no longer apply, opening the doors to what the agency described as “even more patriots.”
Currently, ICE requires applicants to be at least 21, with a maximum age of either 37 or 40 depending on the role. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly told Fox & Friends that the new minimum would drop to 18, with no upper age limit.
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“We no longer have a cap on how old you can be or you can continue at age 18, sign up for ICE and join us and be a part of it. We’ll get you trained and ready to be equipped to go out on the streets and help protect families,” Noem said.
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All recruits will still be required to pass medical and drug screenings, as well as a physical fitness test, the department confirmed.
The relaxed age policy is part of an aggressive recruitment campaign, marked by a bombastic tone across social media. Promotional graphics paint the ICE mission in almost cinematic terms, one post featured side-by-side images of a young man and an older man dressed in tactical gear, with rifles in hand and the slogan: “NO AGE CAP JOIN ICE NOW.” The caption read, “We’re taking father/son bonding to a whole new level.”
Another graphic, styled like a vintage car ad, featured a Ford Club Wagon, once known for its spacious seating — overlaid with the words: “Think about how many criminal illegal aliens you could fit in this bad boy?” Beneath the image, a tagline added: “Want to deport illegals with your absolute boys?” — referencing a popular internet slang term used to celebrate camaraderie.
Beyond the bold advertising, ICE is also dangling financial incentives. New recruits are being offered up to $50,000 in signing bonuses, in addition to perks like student loan forgiveness and generous overtime pay, particularly for deportation officers.
The sweeping recruitment push comes amid a politically charged atmosphere and ongoing criticism from immigrant rights groups. Still, with expanded funding and fewer hiring barriers, ICE is positioning itself to dramatically grow its enforcement capabilities.
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