4 Strategies to Improve ICE and CBP Recruiting, Hiring, and Training
According to the Center for American Progress, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has lowered recruitment, hiring, and training standards for U.S. immigration agents, prioritizing hiring over public safety and constitutional law.
After passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocated $30 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hiring alone, ICE has more than doubled its force from 10,000 to more than 22,000 agents in just six months. To do so, DHS has lowered the minimum age for agents to 18 and reduced 240 hours from the ICE training program—a 41 percent reduction. The Center claims that a "sloppy vetting processes and recruitment strategies have resulted in the hiring of agents with ties to extremist groups. Officers are also being instructed to enter homes without a warrant in violation of the Constitution. All of this is inconsistent with requirements at nearly every other federal law enforcement agency and many state and local law enforcement agencies, which have higher standards."
A new report from the Center for American Progress outlines four strategies that Congress and DHS must adopt to restore safety and professionalism:
- Improve use-of-force training and ensure accountability for violations.
- Restrict dangerous vehicle pursuits and shootings.
- Strengthen candidate recruitment, screening, and hiring practices.
- Restore the age minimum to 21 years old.
