White House / President·Border
ICE seeing record turnover as deportation hiring surge hits growing pains
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is recording higher employee turnover under President Trump than at any point in the agency’s history, the Washington Examiner reported Sunday, citing federal data reviewed by USA Today. ICE hired about 12,000 officers between January 2025 and June 2026 after Congress funded a $75 billion package and offered loan payoffs and $50,000 sign-on bonuses; more than 2,900 officers left in the first half of 2026 alone—more than in any full year since OPM began tracking in 2012. Tenured officers told the Examiner many new hires were fired after failing delayed background checks or making poor on-the-job decisions; DHS said it is “hiring the best of the best” and that most surge recruits are already experienced law enforcement or military.
- Washington ExaminerICE officers say internal chaos has led to thousands of employee departures