US offers up to $50k bonus for would-be ICE deportation officers

August 1, 2025

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a major recruitment drive offering substantial incentives, including bonuses up to $50,000 and student loan assistance up to $60,000, to attract 10,000 new personnel. The initiative aims to double the agency's workforce to support the Trump administration's deportation goals of removing one million people annually from the country. Funded by approximately $165 billion allocated to the Department of Homeland Security in Trump's tax and spending bill, ICE is specifically targeting deportation officers, attorneys, criminal investigators, and student visa adjudicators.

Who is affected

Undocumented migrants who will face increased deportation efforts
Americans with student loans who might be attracted to the loan forgiveness program
Current ICE employees whose agency is undergoing significant expansion
Communities where deportations are carried out
Potential recruits considering employment with ICE

What action is being taken

ICE is offering recruitment bonuses of up to $50,000 for new hires
The agency is providing student loan repayment and forgiveness of up to $60,000
DHS is running a recruitment campaign with World War Two-style posters
ICE is working to double its workforce by adding 10,000 personnel
The agency is continuing deportations at a pace of about 800 people per day

Why it matters

The recruitment drive represents a massive expansion of ICE, making it the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency
The Trump administration has set a goal of deporting one million people annually, significantly above current rates
The initiative comes at a time when Biden-era student loan relief is ending for millions of Americans
The scale and approach of the deportation campaign will affect immigrant communities nationwide
According to former ICE officials, rapid expansion could lead to potential quality concerns in hiring standards

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC