Trump’s government plans to hire 13,000 immigration officers amid record $170bn funding.
- Officers now recruited from age 18, with shortened training and large cash incentives.
- Human rights groups warn recruitment tactics could lead to more abuses at the border.
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a massive recruitment drive aimed at carrying out what President Donald Trump has described as the “largest deportation operation” in American history.
This development, according to Eko Hot Blog has sparked growing concerns among human rights groups and former security officials about a likely rise in abuse and misconduct by immigration officers.
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The department, backed by a record-breaking $170 billion budget for border and immigration enforcement, is currently working to hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and 3,000 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents before the year ends.
In its push to meet the ambitious target of 3,000 immigration-related arrests per day — reportedly set by Trump adviser Stephen Miller the DHS is now offering mouth-watering incentives to attract new recruits.
These include a signing bonus of up to $50,000 and student loan repayments of as much as $60,000.
To fast-track the recruitment process, the agency has widened its eligibility age range to include applicants from age 18, down from the previous minimum of 21.
It has also shortened the training duration to deploy officers more quickly. A robust online campaign has been rolled out, using memes and promotional content that critics say reflect extreme ideologies.
While the DHS says interest has been strong — with over 100,000 applications received in just two weeks critics believe the agency’s relaxed requirements and aggressive approach may worsen longstanding accountability issues.
Pedro Rios, who leads the US/Mexico border program at the American Friends Service Committee, said the agencies involved have deep-rooted problems.
“There’s a long history of abuse and misconduct among officers and a system that lacks proper accountability. Violence has become part of the culture,” he added.
The Southern Border Communities Coalition, a group that monitors officer behaviour at the border, says officers have become more brazen in recent months. Its director, Lilian Serrano, warned that the rapid recruitment campaign is creating more harm.
“We are already seeing agents openly break rules, even while being recorded,” Serrano said. “This shift has been very fast, and it’s alarming.”
She also expressed worry that the DHS is now targeting young people in low-income areas, especially those living along the border. “Many youths see these jobs as a rare opportunity to earn a good salary and help their families escape poverty but it comes at the cost of policing their own communities,” she said.
Serrano raised concerns over the recruitment drives being held in schools, saying they send the wrong message to vulnerable youths.
