ICE Says Workforce Has More Than Doubled in Past Year, Surge in Minnesota
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has more than doubled the size of its workforce in the span of a few months, as the agency plays a key role in President Trump’s escalated crackdown on immigration enforcement.
ICE says its workforce grew from 10,000 when President Trump took office last year, to more than 22,000 officers and agents today.
“The good news is that thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “That’s a 120% increase in our workforce. And that’s in just about four months.”
ICE credits its recruitment drive for the surge in workers. That drive used “data-driven outreach efforts” to target candidates and incentives such as $50,000 signing bonuses. expanded student loan repayments, direct hire authority, and removing age caps. The agency said it received 220,000 applications.
“The accelerated hiring tempo has allowed ICE to place officers in the field faster than any previous recruitment effort in the agency’s history,” DHS said.
But critics are questioning how ICE was able to properly vet and train the surge in new recruits in the span of less than a year. Among them is Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.
“Our office requested a briefing on these changes months ago but still have not been briefed,” said a statement from the Senator’s office. “Given growing concerns about ICE personnel’s recent conduct and failures to meet prior professional standards, Senator Peters remains concerned this rapid hiring push could repeat past mistakes tied to lowered standards and inadequate preparation.”
ICE Surge in Minnesota and Shooting Incident
Meanwhile, ICE is sending approximately 2,000 officers to the Twin Cities area in Minnesota to crack down on immigration violations tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents.
The plan is for the agents and officers to oversee a 30-day surge in operations in greater Minneapolis and St. Paul.
There has already been an incident, with an ICE officer shooting and killing 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good had committed an act of “domestic terrorism,” first disobeying officers’ commands and then weaponizing her SUV by attempting to “run a law enforcement officer over.”
But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) said video of the shooting contradicted what he called the government's "garbage narrative,” further intensifying scrutiny of ICE’s tactics as the agency rapidly expands its ranks and field operations.