DHS: ICE Announces Historic 120% Manpower Increase, Thanks to Recruitment Campaign that brought in 12,000 Officers and Agents

Kevin R. Johnson

05 Jan 2026 — 1 min read

On January 3, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that "its unprecedented nationwide recruitment campaign has shattered expectations, hiring more than 12,000 officers and agents in less than a year."

Reportedly receiving more than 220,000 applications, ICE exceeded its original hiring target for the year of 10,000 new officers and agents. The DHS stated that "we have more than doubled our officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000."

“. . . [T]hanks 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 Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

Apps Open for Guadalajara Program Jan 8-13, 2027

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Apps Open for Guadalajara Program Jan 8-13, 2027

Urban Institute: Impacts of Heightened Immigration Enforcement on Children’s Education by Hamutal Bernstein, Diana Guelespe, Laura Betancur, Julio Salas

From the Bookshelves: When Africa Comes to America How the Next Wave of Immigrants Will Transform the United States by Neeraj Kaushal

Law360: BREAKING: Justices To Weigh If Cooking For Terrorists Bars Asylum