The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States announced on Wednesday (August 6th) that it will be lifting the age restrictions for new recruits within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to expand its recruitment efforts following a significant injection of funding from Congress.
In a press release, the DHS stated that they would be waiving the age limitations for new applicants to allow “more patriots to qualify to join ICE,” which is responsible for locating, apprehending, detaining, and deporting individuals residing unlawfully in the United States.
At the end of June, the U.S. Congress passed the “Bigger and Better Act,” providing funding to ICE to hire an additional ten thousand employees.
Prior recruiting requirements for ICE stipulated that applicants had to be at least 21 years old, with a maximum age limit of 37 or 40, depending on the position applied for.
Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, mentioned in an interview on “Fox & Friends” that applicants can now be as young as 18 years old. She stated, “We are no longer setting age boundaries for applicants. You can sign up and join us at 18, become part of our team; we will provide training to get you ready to hit the streets and assist in protecting families.”
The DHS indicated that all new recruits must undergo medical and drug screenings, as well as pass physical fitness tests.
With enthusiasm, the agency took to social media to announce the change in age restrictions, emphasizing that immigration enforcement is not only a patriotic duty but also carries “epic significance, fit for the big screen.” A post on social media included what appeared to be a recruitment poster featuring a young person and an elderly individual in tactical gear, holding weapons, with the caption “NO AGE CAP JOIN ICE NOW,” and the tagline, “We’ve taken the father-son relationship to a whole new level.”
Another image depicted a Ford Club Wagon, a large multi-passenger vehicle with a caption above asking “How many illegal immigrant criminals can it hold? How many illegal immigrant criminals can it carry?” and below stating, “Want to use it for deporting illegal immigrants? Need we say more!”
ICE will also provide new hires with bonuses of up to $50,000 and benefits such as student loan forgiveness, generous overtime pay, and other perks.
Reference to the Associated Press’ report.