DHS Sees Record Recruitment Surge as DOJ Faces Hiring Crisis

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reporting record recruitment numbers for certain agencies while the Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly having trouble filling positions.

First to DHS, which says it received more than 200,000 applications for positions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

ICE has been aggressively recruiting as President Trump has made removing illegal migrants a priority of his administration. The One Big Beautiful Bill also provided the agency with a $30 billion cash infusion. The administration wants to double the size of the workforce and have 10,000 deportation officers on the job by January.  

To attract workers, ICE is offering benefits including:

·       A maximum $50,000 signing bonus

·       Student loan repayment and forgiveness options

·       25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) for HSI Special Agents

·       Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime for Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers

·       Enhanced retirement benefits

There are also reports that with the election of Democrat Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor, ICE is targeting officers with the NYPD for recruitment. 

However, as we reported earlier at FEDagent, not all is going well with the rush to hire, with questions mounting on whether some were fully vetted before being placed into training programs. 

USCIS Record Applicants 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says it received a record 35,000 applications for its Homeland Defender positions. 

“I’m pleased to announce that in addition to seeing a historic number of applications, we are starting to bring on applicants at a rapid pace,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. 

USCIS has made hundreds of job offers and is starting to bring new personnel on board. Among those receiving offers are former law enforcement personnel and U.S. military veterans. 

The Homeland Defender position is an entry-level role with a signing bonus of up to $50,000. Homeland Defenders are responsible for interviewing applicants, reviewing immigration benefits requests, and identifying individuals who may be ineligible under federal law.

DOJ Recruiting Troubles

It’s a different story at the Department of Justice. 

The Washington Post reports that DOJ is struggling with recruitment, as the agency has lost about half of its attorneys since President Trump took office. 

Advocacy group Justice Connection estimates that around 5,500 people have left this year. Last year, roughly 10,000 attorneys worked across DOJ. 

The Post says the department has had difficulty finding qualified candidates for open slots, and that interest in working for DOJ among recent law school grads has “plummeted.”

“What we are seeing is a total drop in who is applying,” said William Treanor, the former dean of Georgetown University Law Center. “It’s very, very dramatic. It’s gone from a good amount of our graduating class to virtually no one applying for jobs at the Justice Department.”

The Post notes that prospective DOJ hires are now more likely to have political backgrounds, with many coming from Republican congressional offices and advocacy groups. 

But DOJ defended its hiring practices.

“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently by hiring the best and most qualified individuals to serve the American people — with emphasis on hiring those fulfilling critical law enforcement and public safety missions,” DOJ said in a statement.